Forced
by Rockinyoyo
Summary: What purpose did Akatsuki have for her? That's the questions Sakura wants to be answered for she had no idea why she was a prisoner to the Akatsuki. But maybe she didn't want to know the answer once she found out that she was leverage for Uchiha Sasuke
1. Chapter 1: Prisoner

**So my next story. This is the story that won on the polling so i will be doing it. so i decided to post today since it is my birthday (yeah!!!) and i didn't want to post this late tonight after i got back from training. so without ado.  
**

**Forced**

Sasu/Saku

Summary: She was forced to be there. He was forced to follow orders. When Sakura gets captured by Akatsuki her life is put in danger. But what is she to them? Leverage. Sasuke denies any feelings for his ex-teammate but when her life is always on the line he does whatever he is told. When he doesn't follow orders she gets hurt. Will Sasuke break free of their grasp and what will happen to Sakura for his retaliation?

**Rating M: mostly mature themes, Sakura is a prisoner here, so yeah. I have not decided yet if there will be any lime/lemon, there will probably some sensuality, but don't know if it will go the whole nine yards. but remember, i am not making akatsuki nice.  
**

**Genres: Adventure, Angst, Drama, suspense, tragedy, some possible humor, maybe some romance thrown in there of course, just about everything again.**

**Updates: Going for a chapter every one to two weeks depending on how my life cooperates with me. I am only writing chapter 2 right now so there will probably be no every other day updating, I just don't have the time anymore. **

**also there will probably be some questions asked about which akatsuki are alive and the setting. this is set after the fight between itachi and sasuke and after pein attacks konoha. **

**so let me do this know. **

**1. There was never a team that went after sasuke right before he was going to fight itachi. so no one in konoha knows about madara or anything else like that. **

**2. pein did attack konoha but he DIDN'T blow the place up. konoha is still standing, but they just suffered some losses and naruto did kill pein, so pein is dead.**

**3. akatsuki members that are alive. Kisame, Deidara (he is not dead, sasuke did not kill him in this fic), Zetsu, and Madara. i think those are the four i have left, plus sasuke now. if i forgot any member i will let you know.  
**

**Disclaimer: DNON**

**Enjoy**

**Chapter 1**

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_D__rip_

_Drip_

_Drip_

_Pain_

_Drip_

_Numbness_

_Drip_

_Cold_

_Drip_

_Alone_

The sounds of the dripping liquid reverberated around the enclosed area. The air was frigid as the short breaths of someone could be faintly seen and the cool stone did nothing to warm the place. There was a sliver of light coming from where the doorway looked to be at across the area. The darkness surrounded the rest of the room making the world seem small and faint.

Soon there was a sound of shifting that echoed around the room. The sound of cloth moving across the jagged stone floor and the sound of the metal shackles that clinked on the stone as the prisoner tried to maneuver into a more comfortable position than being draped over the cold stone face against the cool, sharp rocks that littered the floor.

There was a small oomph heard as the person had finally h gotten somewhat off the ground was leaning against the wall of the enclosed area. Their head pounded from a torrential headache, their body screamed with pain and with numbness as the tingling sensation was even more sensitive in the cool area. They leaned their head back in the deepest shadows of the room before the pain brought them back into the state of unconsciousness.

* * *

_6 Months Previous._

_The woman steered herself through the crowded streets with ease as though she had been familiar with the hustle and bustle of the streets as she moved through the throng of people. Eyes took in the people as they bought and sold things, as people moved in and out of stores, as the little ones played with others on the streets waiting for their mothers, it was the normal day in the market area of Konoha. _

"_Sakura-chan!" A loud voice called to her and instead of stopping like most people would have done she kept on moving through the crowds until the person caught up to her. "That wasn't nice Sakura-chan."  
_

_"Who ever said I was nice?" she countered teasingly back at the blond male.  
_

_"You used to be so nice and would stop and wait for me. Are you in a hurry today?"  
_

_"I am. Tsunade-shishou said she wanted to talk to me. Why, what did you need?"  
_

_"I wanted to see if you wanted to go get ramen with me."  
_

_"Naruto, too much ramen is bad for you. Remember last month when you were in the hospital because you ate too much ramen. Find something else to fit into your diet." she scolded him and all he did was pout at her. "But look, if I don't get a mission then I will go to ramen with you tomorrow. Maybe today you could ask Hinata." she pointed out moving around a small child that was playing in her walking path. _

"_Okay, then. Later Sakura-chan." the blond took off, running through the streets while trying to avoid the people milling about. Sakura could only shake her head and kept walking towards the Hokage's office. _

_As she walked she thought about the cerulean eyed boy. Once he had returned from training six months earlier he had forgone his crush on her and turned his vying attentions towards the Hyuuga heiress, Hinata. They had been dating for about a month and she couldn't be happier for him, at least he had found his happiness. _

_She climbed the outside stairs to get into the tower before walking around the enter into the office. Knocking twice on the door she let herself in to see her shishou not holding a bottle of sake or actually seeing one on the blonds desk. She walked until she was about two feet from the desk before standing quietly and looking at the woman who had just raised her blond head and honey colored eyes to her. _

"_Shishou, you called." Sakura said respectively. _

"_Hai, I did. I have a mission for you." she grabbed a slip of paper from her desk and handed it to the other woman. "Check these coordinates and record your findings. Make a collection of everything you find." Emerald colored eyes scanned the paper briefly. The coordinates were unfamiliar but within the Fire Country_

"_Shishou, what do you expect me to find at these coordinates?" honey eyes hardened into caramel looking ones.  
_

_"Rumors." the vague answer was enough for Sakura and also it was said with a warning in her voice to not press the issue. _

"_When do I leave?" she asked tucking the coordinates away._

"_Immediately. I want the information as soon as possible."  
_

_"Hai shishou." bowing respectfully to her mentor she left the room and headed straight towards her house to pack her belongings to set off immediately._

_Naruto intercepted her halfway to her house, saying that Hinata couldn't go to ramen and so he decided to find her again. She walked briskly making the boy actually trot at times to keep up with her determined. She didn't even slow when he started to whine at how fast she was going before he started his onslaught of questions. _

"_What did baa-chan want?" he asked trotting again to keep up with her._

"_Mission." she replied shortly and curtly making her way into her house with the blond right behind her. She started mulling about her room gathering supplies when he again spoke.  
_

_"What kind of mission?"  
_

_"Solo." she said stuffing several maps into her bag._

"_What kind of solo mission? Don't tell me you are going to go off and do something perverted!" he cried and she threw a shoe at him.  
_

_"Naruto!" she yelped at him. "No I am not doing anything perverted. It's just a recon mission.  
_

_"Oh, where?"  
_

_"It doesn't matter, but I need to get ready." she slipped several vials and scrolls into her pack as well before grabbing her medical belt and strapping it onto her narrow hips.  
_

_"Tell me about it then." he said taking an unceremonious seat on her bed.  
_

_"I can't. It's confidential." She said slinging her bag onto her back. _

_Though her shishou hadn't said it was confidential she had the impression that no one was really supposed to know about the mission. On the outside she seemed unfazed by such a mission but on the inside something was bugging her about this mission. Usually recon missions weren't solo, or of this urgency. By the way her shishou told her the rumors it was clear that something was wrong and she would be the one to find it out. _

_Pushing Naruto out of the house she left it as well walking just as briskly towards the gates leading out of Konoha. She was about to step out of the gates and onto the dusty path when a hand caught her wrist and made her halt. She turned around to see the boy that had become her friend and her brother in a sense.  
"what is the mission Sakura." he never just said Sakura unless it was important. She gave a weak smile._

"_Confidential, but I'll be back. Don't worry." she tugged her hand free and headed towards the coordinates._

_She jumped from tree to tree with stealth and agility. She loved the rush of the wind through her hair and the adrenaline running through her veins as the prospect of propelling herself forwards through the thick trees and branches. From time to time she wished for a break but knew the mission was too important to just stop and take a break. _

_Two days later she saw a tea house and finally decided to give herself a well deserved break. She sat in the corner and only ordered green tea. Letting the waitress walk away she pulled a map from her pack. She looked over the map and at the coordinates. If she took a break tonight she would reach her destination by tomorrow afternoon. _

_When her tea arrived she drank it slowly, savoring the taste of it after along day of jerky and nuts. She tried to think of what exactly could be at the end of her journey when two men talking grabbed her attention by what they seemed to be talking about. They were quiet and tried to be secretive about it but she heard what they were talking about. _

"_Is the haze still there?" one of the men asked._

"_Hai. It's disappeared slightly but you can still see it. _

"_Isn't it coming from the hideout or shrine that's out in that direction?"  
_

_"Hai. I went and took a look the other day. I didn't dare go in though. They say it's been cursed since the massacre." the word massacre caught Sakura's attentions and she listened closer.  
_

_"You mean the Uch-"  
_

_"Don't! Don't say that name out loud. It's a cursed name now. No one dares to speak it out in this part of the country." The man hissed out at the man and it made her even more curious. Was the man going to say Uchiha? Because that was what it sounded like to her._

"_You know what happened, don't ya?" one of them asked quietly._

"_Hai. It was two weeks ago. I was sitting selling my usual when three people come walking through from the north, looked like those ninjas. I heard 'em mumbling something about their leader being gone or something." Sakura's ears were perked to hear the rest of the conversation. "One of them had this huge sword strapped to his back, while the female was bickering and complaining from what I heard, and the last one just walked next to them. Odd bunch I got to say. I never saw such a group of them. Looked like rogue or somethin'."_

"_The north, then they must've come from the hideout." the man whispered urgently. "Do ya know what might of happened?"  
_

_"Fight probably." the man leaned back slightly. "I assume both men died, by all that smoke. _

_Glancing down at her map she found the town she was at before heading north straight into the coordinates that Tsunade-shishou had given her. She was startled. So something had happened there that the people in the surrounding villages knew about. Standing up she stuffed the maps into her pack, scuttled a few coins on the table before exiting and making her way north, determined to find the hideout the men had talked about. _

_Perching herself in a tree she could make out the haze that was surrounding parts of the forest and she guessed that was her destination, but what would really be left after two weeks? She would just have to make the best of it, or else Tsunade would have her hide for it. Picking up her pace again she soon saw the outline of what she was looking for. _

_In all her years she wouldn't have expected that she would end up standing before this building. She had heard that clan's had other hideouts to say the least that they took pride in and often gathered at, but this was way over doing it. The building was larger than most buildings in Konoha, though it still stood majestically for all those that saw it. _

_It was a stone structure, worn with the years it had been out in the weather. She could easily pick out the cracks that had made themselves at home in the stone. From where she was standing it looked like part of the roof had collapsed, but what drew her attention the most was the insignia above the large entryway. There were prominent cracks and the paint was chipped only showing the dull colors of what it used to be like. But the symbol was still in glory. The Uchiha Fan, still showing, mighty and proud._

_Taking a step forward she almost felt like a trespasser but it was her mission to find out what had happened in this place though she already had a good idea of what had gone on there. Walking through the entryway she saw the offshoots of several other hallways but she remained on the larger hallway that lead down into the building. Within a few minutes she came to a broken double doorway. Stepping past the wood, she entered into a large hallway that was partially covered in ruble and debris. _

_She could only imagine that whatever battle had been fought here moved up to the room seeing as there were shuriken and burn marks littering parts of the walls of the inside room. Placing on gloves she gently removed two shuriken from the walls and placed them inside a bag inside her pack before she made her way up to the rooftop to discover the damage that had been done up there. _

_Scouring the topside of the building she looked around at the floor. There was blood, burn marks, and rubble covering almost every foot of the top of the building. She could see a set of footprints marked with blood walking towards an alabaster stone wall no more than five feet wide. Following the grotesque set of footprints she passed more rubble before coming to see a larger pool of dried blood that sent her stomach reeling. She may have been a kunoichi and had seen her fair share of death but this was brutal and she was gladly thanking kami that there was no body for her to see. _

_Dropping her back on clean stone she began to pull out several scrolls and vials with q-tips in them and began to gather what she came there for, evidence, and it was everywhere. She collected samples of the dried blood from the ground and from the wall. Ash from the charred areas and some white, flaky almost scaly particles. _

_After about an hour of collecting and documenting was she had seen and what had happened she packed her bag back up and made her way back down to the first floor before walking the walk out of the long hallway to exit the forbidden and desolate building. After walking several yards away from it she looked back. Looking back at the place where she was sure that the Uchiha had met their demise and she wondered if any Uchiha were left alive. _

_Withing two days she was again standing before her mentor and reporting on her findings placing the contents she had collected on the desk her mentor sat at. She was done placing the contents of her bag on the table when she began to ask her shishou about what she knew.  
"Shishou, did you know what was at those coordinates?" Sakura asked uncertainly and her shishou looked her right in the eye._

"_I had heard rumors and I wanted proof." Her mentors amber eyes scanned the contents on her desk. "You have done enough Sakura good job." that was the last thing her mentor said to her._

_Three days later she was again standing before her shishou. The amber haired woman had a mean glare in her eyes but her mouth was set softly. Sakura knew the woman was about to tell her something of importance and a part of her knew that it probably wasn't going to be good.  
_

_"I have tested the results Sakura, and indeed it was the Uchiha brothers. I wanted to tell you before I told Naruto." Tsunade had said almost sadly and Sakura cocked her head._

"_What is it shishou?" Sakura questioned inquisitively.  
_

_"I am suspending any more searches for Sasuke. I can not yet determine if he is alive yet but I won't have useful shinobi chasing after a possible ghost." Sakura nodded, her already white face whiter than before. _

"_Of course shishou." Sakura managed to get out, feeling a pang of grief in her chest. Somewhere in her chest cavity she still held onto some feelings towards the youngest Uchiha. With head still held high she exited the room leaving her shishou, already reaching for a sake bottle to drown out her headache._

* * *

Consciousness soon entered into the person's mind bringing them back from the state of inner darkness that had enveloped them. An unwilling groan escaped the person's mouth as they began to feel their injuries make themselves known on their body. The pain and throbbing were shooting aches of pain through their body.

Eyes slowly opened but the darkness covered the color though when the person shifted the small amount of light from underneath the doorway made them glint a dark green color, when they moved their head. The person shifted their head and they could start to feel the matting and tangling of their hair as they leaned it back against the scraggly wall behind them.

Shifting their position to try and become more comfortable, as least as much as they could seeing their situation. They could feel the weight of their body and the chains that bound their wrists and ankles. Thankfully for the person, they were able to maneuver enough to get their legs into a cross legged position, with their hands hanging limp in their lap. They limply laid their head back against the stone wall arching their neck into an uncomfortable position, and the person seemingly willed themselves back into a darkened stupor.

* * *

_Four Months Previous._

_The white washed halls of the hospital were almost too familiar to the medic as she walked down the white tiled floor heading towards a room where a patient near to her was at. Sliding the wanted door open she entered two see the two familiar people in there, one asleep while the other was watching over the other. She made her way towards the chair where one of them sat by the other's side and recalled being in the same situation as a twelve year old girl infatuated with a boy who would never acknowledge her._

_The medic placed a hand on the violet haired girl's shoulder, making pale eyes look up at her with expectancy written in her eyes. _

"_He's going to be fine. All he needs to do is rest and he deserves it after what he did to save the village." the other girl didn't make a sound. _

"_It's been over a week, the Kyuubi should be helping him." the violet haired woman whispered looking back at her fiance of only one month. She looked down at the pair with sympathy. It was a price they ahd to pay for Naruto defeating the leader of Akatsuki and helping the village survive. _

"_Get better, Naruto." she whispered before leaving the room._

_She made her way towards her home, thinking and knowing she deserved a good hot shower for all the work she had been putting in the last few weeks, trying to help Konoha get back on its feet after the Akatsuki had attacked the village. Luckily the damage wasn't too bad and the death toll was minimal, but the village was still in the aftershock of everything._

_Entering her house she walked up to her room and once the door was closed she began to shed her clothes before stepping into the shower to relax and have the water take away her stress and tension. She let the water run down her body and when her pink tresses started to grip her skin she soon found the shampoo to lather her hair and getting it clean before she washed the suds out of her hair, and finished the shower by just standing there letting the water continue to run over her. _

_After turning off the water and stepping out she began to hear noises in the kitchen and knowing it was her mother she quickly donned a red sleeveless shirt and black shorts. Drying her hair and sticking it up into a wet bun she hurried downstairs to greet her mother in the kitchen where her mother was currently starting to make their dinner. _

_Her mother turned around to see her daughter and Sakura instantly saw the paleness in her mother's face that hadn't been there before. _

"_Mom are you okay?" She asked walking into the kitchen.  
_

_"Of course, honey. I'm just fine." and Sakura let it go and starting helping her mother start cutting the vegetables that would be apart of their dinner_

* * *

_Two weeks later._

* * *

_Walking through the front door of the house she expected to be met with a cool blast of air instead of the warm air she was hit with. The place was also dark and empty. No signs of someone living there. Going up to her room she turned the AC on and put her mission pack on the floor before flopping onto her bed wanting to just sleep, but that was before she heard the knock on the door. _

_Scrambling off the bed and down the stairs she opened the door to reveal the familiar face of Izumo.  
_

_"Izumo, what are you doing here?" she asked puzzled.  
_

_"Sakura, you need to get to the hospital." she was about to protest when he finished. "It's your mother." and she was gone leaving Izumo to close her door before following her to the hospital. _

_Bursting through the hospital doors she was immediately directed to her mother's room. She was about the slide the door open when it was done for her someone stepping out of the room making her step back to let them step out. It was Tsunade. She tried to move past her mentor but the older woman stopped her. Green eyes looked up expectantly into her mentor's amber ones.  
_

_"Shishou?" she asked hushed. Tsunade shook her head causing her twin down ponytails to swish.  
_

_"I'm sorry, Sakura. Your mother just passed away."_

"_What? Why?" she rushed out.  
_

_"She had a disease. It affected her internal organs and though we tried to stabilize it was just too far along..." she didn't finish the sentence. _

* * *

Footsteps could be heard coming down the hallway the steady beat of footfalls made the approaching person known. But the prisoner didn't pay attention to the footsteps that were approaching. But they were coming closer.

* * *

_Days Previous_

_She cursed when she heard her shishou's words repeat over and over again that the mission would be easy to complete. There was a prominent family in near the northern border of the Fire Country that needed a medical ninja to help heal someone in the family. It was supposed to be an easy five day mission. Two to get there, a day there unless the injury was worse, and the two days back, nothing to strenuous or difficult. _

_But that wasn't what met her when she arrived at the town. It was practically a ghost town with only a few people wandering around the streets. Her emerald eyes had glazed over the town to see if there was any sign of a prominent family even in the area. Heading towards what looked like the busiest place in the town, which happened to be a bar she had gone in and asked about the family only to find out that there was no such family that lived in the town or surrounding area and immediately she knew it was a set up, the only question was who?_

_She had rushed out of the bar and had immediately started back towards Konoha trying to put space between her and the town but the few minutes she had of sprinting weren't enough and soon enough she felt the chakra that was now surrounding her on all sides and knew that there would be a confrontation she just hoped that she could get maybe find an area to hide in. _

_the chakras were becoming significantly closer and she felt the aura that seemed to surround her pursuers. They were dangerous and the only name that could really come to her mind as she tried to look for an escape was Akatsuki and the name seemed to pound in her mind telling her that it was them that were trying to catch her. But she dismissed the thought and again began to concentrate on finding a safe place to bunker down if she could. _

_Knowing that she wasn't going to escape the people that were trying to catch her, she spotted a tree with rotted roots and enough space for her smaller body to fit into and for once she blessed the gods that she wasn't as well blessed in areas that Ino and Hinata were blessed in. sliding sideways into the rotted area she hunkered down, grabbing sodden dirt and rubbing it in her pink tresses trying to drown the brilliant color of her hair down. If the men looked around they were sure to be drawn to the beacon she called hair. _

_Grabbing another handful she again began rubbing it into her hair. Noticing the signatures even closer than the last time she had felt them she began to hunker down more, laying almost flat on her stomach, and concealing her chakra. Feeling the sodden mud on her skin where her shirt had risen up slightly and she was relieved she had worn a darker shirt for this particular mission. _

_Hearing footsteps on the ground and on the trunks she closed her mouth forcing herself to breathe through her nose trying to calm her slightly ragged breath. Needing to gulp she forcefully swallowed it, feeling the tension in her throat. Upon hearing the voices of her pursuers she shut her eyes tightly not opening them anything._

"_Where did the whelp go?" a man's voice came over. _

"_How the hell should I know." another voice snapped. _

"_look under the roots." another voice came across holding a sense of amusement in his voice. Her heart had to have stopped once she heard the man's voice come across revealing her position. Hearing the twigs of the forest snap under their weight she could hear them approaching.  
_

_"Well, well, what do we have here?" the first man's voice asked. "A little damsel in distress." fits of laughter broke out around her. She tried glancing up at who had caught her but the only thing she saw were shinobi sandals and then darkness. _

Hearing the door rattle slightly against its hinges brought the prisoner back to the state of consciousness and slowly they turned their head towards the door and the sliver of light below it, showing there was light to this darkness. Hearing a key in the lock the person's body tensed and then the door slowly opened the hinges grinding and creaking as they were forced open, apparently not having been opened in quite some time. Then a person stood in the doorway casting his shadow over the light and though the person couldn't see the jailer's face they could almost swear the man was probably wearing a sadistic smirk.

"Welcome to the Akatsuki dungeons, Haruno Sakura."

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**Hope that was a good beginning to this story. Also this chapter was just of exploring back into sakura's past a little, and a little bit of why she will act in someways in the future. **

**update next week or when i get the chapter done. i am about halfway i think, i just got to find some time to write.**

**thanks for reading and now i have to go get ready for training.  
**

**so let me know how i did and review.**

**please review**

**yoyo  
**


	2. Chapter 2:The Game Shogi

**Soooooo, the second chapter. anyone excited? i am. so here is the next chapter of Forced.**

**Thanks for all the great reviews that you sent/gave me. i really appreciated them and i am really glad that you are all enjoying the story so far. so thanks for all the feedback!! **

**also thanks to Tragedydawl for the first review!  
**

**Disclaimer: DNON**

**Enjoy the chapter.  
**

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**Chapter 2**

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The sun beat down on the back of the black haori that the man was wearing. The back that was hunched over, straightened and a large hand ran through the raven locks making several beads of perspiration to drop to the ground. The man flexed his hands and arms before reaching towards a pouch on the ground to take out a kunai.

The man spun the sharp metal in his hands, making the sun glint off the metal as it swung around while the man studied the target in front of him, already decorated with several other kunais that glinted in the sun as well. Stopping the spinning motion he held the weapon tightly trying to again get used to the feel of the smaller weapon since he had become accustomed to the handle of a katana.

Throwing his shoulders back, he rolled them, getting his bunched muscles to loosen up to get a more relaxed feel before he threw the weapon. Without looking at the target he threw the small dagger like object, with accurate precision and a dull thud was heard.

An ice blue eye opened as the thud was heard. The companion was leaning his back against a trunk of a tree, while his legs were spread out before him crossed at the ankles. His eye watched as his 'leader' made no movement to get the already placed kunai in the target. He had decided he wouldn't train but rather watch seeing as how his water container was running low on the liquid.

Ice blue watched as the right hand of his leader flexed, making the hand more prominent with the veins and muscles slightly protruding. The raven haired man looked down at his flexing hand. He could still feel the affects of such an intense battle even months after it had taken place. Throwing his shoulders back again he stretched his muscles again, feeling the knots and tightness that were there. Finally feeling his muscles relax he moved towards the tree with the target attached to remove his kunai.

After wrenching the kunai from the tree, as they were deeply embedded into the gnarled bark, he nodded to the silver haired man who nodded back as he made the movements to rise up from the forest ground to follow the other man back to the house etched into the rocks of the Rock Country.

When the two entered into the rock etched building, shrieking cries from a female could be heard and then the slow passive voice of a male, as they assumed trying to calm the frantic woman down for whatever her reasons were to be upset. The silver haired man rolled his eyes and made a rude comment under his breath getting a sharp glare from the dark haired male.

The raven haired man made his way off from his teammate and headed up a long set of stone stairs before coming to a large wooden door and opening it walked in shedding his clothes and weapons before heading towards the bathing room to clean himself of the acquired sweat and dirt. The water splashed down upon his head and body.

The warm water massaged his aching and stretched muscles, causing them to loosen and relax and the man sighed. A hand was soon rubbing his aching neck before running through the now damp locks that made water drizzle into his face. Sighing again he leaned his head back against the stone wall, finally letting his guard down if only for a moment.

As soon as his shower was over he stepped out of the shower enclosure while wrapping a dark towel around his waist, the towel sitting casually on his narrow hips. Stepping into the room he made his way towards a dresser and pulled out a pair of midnight black nin pants and only after discarding the towel did he put them on before going to another drawer and pulled out a white haori that fit loosely around his torso.

Hearing a sharp rasp at his door he gave the monotone reply of 'enter'. Keeping his head staring straight ahead, his eyes flicked to the side, looking at the person that had entered into his room. Onyx orbs took in the man with the azure tone to his skin and beady white eyes, as well as the sharp lines that stood out under his eyes and the sharpness of his features.

"What?" Sasuke spoke out wanting to know what the man had to say to him. He didn't need to respect this man anyways.

"Madara wants to see you." The older man spoke out with disdain in his voice. He hated the youngest Uchiha worse than the young Uchiha hated him. It was a hate/hate relationship, and he wanted it kept that way. The man hated being under the younger brother of his former partner.

Madara had practically worshiped the kid, going on at times how the youngest Uchiha would even possibly surpass him in strength and that no one would be stronger that Uchiha Sasuke, who had great potential that was seemingly hidden if even for a time. But the defeat of Itachi had shown that the younger brother was stronger.

Orbs flickered back to the wall in front of him and he nodded his consent that he would go and see Madara. He made no movement however until the older man was out of the room. Once the man was gone he made his way towards his bed where his tall, slender black sandals were standing straight next to his bed. Making the movements to put them on, he afterwards straightened up before walking in a leisurely pace out the door.

* * *

His sandals clacked against the stone flooring of the house like edifice. Eyes scouring the area and making sure that no one was around him that shouldn't be. Though he had been 'with' the Akatsuki for several months now, he still didn't trust the nuke-nin and made sure to appear at ease, or at least as much as possible around them, but on the inside he was guarded against them and made sure that they never had the upper hand on him.

Following the long hallway, lit with torches held in place on the walls he turned up a stairwell, that winded upwards for a good hundred feet before coming to another straight hallway. He hated this building. Besides the stone structure and the coldness that permeated the hallways and practically the very essence of the building.

But he also hated the coldness for other reasons as well. It always seemed to remind him of the coldness he had felt after he had killed his own brother. The room where it had all begun, in an old abandoned Uchiha Hideout, was cold, though the adrenaline was running through both of their veins, it was a cold room. And then afterwards, when he had just stood, being supported by the thick stone wall, the rain had come and it had been cold.

Shaking his mind of the memories he still proceeded to tract up another stairwell until he was now, on the top platform of the stone building and walked across the stone flooring to another room. Without even knocking he pushed both doors open, light filtering into the room, by the now open door and the large windows that were on the south end of the room.

The other man in the room had his back to the doors that the Uchiha had entered into the room from. Silence would have reigned in the room if not for the gentle clack of the sandals that the young Uchiha wore as he crossed part of the long room to take a stand beside a round table that separated him from the much older Uchiha that had told him the truth of his brother and family.

The older man had his back turned to the young Uchiha and only after minutes of complete silence and the shadows starting to engulf the room did the older Uchiha turn to face his younger counter part. The two looked at each other through cold emotionless obsidian eyes, though both had different shades of the dark rock. Both had a respect for each other, but other than that that was where the respect stopped for both of them.

"I think it is time that you start to utilize yourself again Sasuke, rather than pinning down trees with a glare and a kunai." the older Uchiha bluntly stated not even bothering with the feelings of the younger Uchiha.

"Easy for an immortal to say." the younger one chided. "I barely ever see you running around the countries, your little cronies do that." a sneer came out at the end.

"But unlike you, I have already proven myself to the Akatsuki where are you have just sat around and recuperated the last few months, with that pathetic little team of yours." Sasuke was about to make a smart remark back when Madara's voice once again interrupted his thought process and speech.

"That is why I am sending you and your _team_ on a mission."

"What type of mission? I don't just help the Akatsuki when it isn't in my best interests."

"Oh, it's in your best interest." Madara smirked with a haunting aura. "There is a man up in Cloud country. Apparently he found out some information on the Akatsuki and is apparently wanting to release it. You need to go and stop him from...........releasing the information." Madaras dark eyes got darker with almost a sadistic pleasure watching his younger ancestor squirm a little. He knew that Sasuke didn't really want to kill without a purpose and to the young Uchiha this mission seemed to have no purpose that would benefit him in any way except for making him even more of a criminal than he already was.

"I **don't **do the Akatsuki's dirty work." Sasuke snarled at the older man.

"But aren't you apart of Akatsuki? You have worn the cloak several times. You are considered to be apart of the Akatsuki are you not?" The older Uchiha twisted his words around, only causing the younger Uchiha to narrow his eyes even more and glare death at the older Uchiha.

Inwardly the young Uchiha seethed at his older counterpart. The man was as twisted as a snake. Always coiled and seemingly harmless, but then the snake would strike and there would always be a victim and no matter what someone in the scuttle would get hurt and would not be the snake, it would always be the victim. And everyone was a victim to the seemingly ageless Uchiha.

"I may wear the cloak but I do not participate in Akatsuki's little games. Get someone else to do it." Sasuke told him pointedly and made the movement to turn around when Madara once again changed the playing field.

"I wouldn't be so _confident _Sasuke." the younger raven turned his head to look over his shoulder at the now triumphantly smirking Uchiha. "You don't always control the playing field, so I highly suggest you do as you are told or something might just happen."

"What could possibly happen?" Sasuke scoffed looking away from the red blaring sharingan that was pointed towards him.

"Let's just say," the Uchiha pondered a minute on his choice of words. "an unattached string could suddenly be cut, you could say." Sasuke hated the look he was getting from the ancient Uchiha and something about his words were almost vaguely familiar.

"Hn." was the only response before the young raven left the room closing the doors with a sharp snap on his way out and Madara could only grin. It was really all too easy.

* * *

Sasuke passed the swordsman going down one of the sets of stairways that reached the floor where he could feel his team at. Before heading towards their current occupancy, he headed towards his room. Snapping the door shut again he went and grabbed a small pack that he had for carrying supplies if he was to head on a long journey, and packed it with only the essentials before he headed towards the corner where his kusanagi was at, leaning against the stone walls. Strapping it to his black belt that he had now instead of the hideous purple bow.

Flicking his door shut on his way out he headed down another few sets of stairs and headed towards the room that held his chosen team. Thrusting the door open he silenced the painful bickering that was going on in the room and harshly yet coldly told them to prepare to head on a mission that would be in the Cloud Country.

At the mention of a mission the white haired man and the red head immediately again started bickering except this time about the mission and not about the red heads dear 'Sasuke-kun'. Sasuke resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He had wondered at times why he had even chosen those two to be on his team, but he had to give them some credit for at least the opportunity to find and kill his brother.

Telling them, or rather snapping at them, he told the three to hurry it up as he wanted to get the mission or rather forced assignment over and done with. While he waited at the entrance of the stone structure he thought about Madara's words and how the man had said something about an 'unattached string'. Why had the old fool mentioned something as stupid as an unattached piece of string?

Shaking his head and letting the analogy float out of his mind he came fully to his senses once he sensed that his teammates were approaching the door and ready to get moving with their mission. With only a glance at them and their travel wear and gear he grunted inaudibly and walked through the now open front doors with a set and determined pace. He already knew his destination and target. The older Uchiha had thought ahead of everything and on his return to his room he had found a scroll nestled in his travel bag, sealed letting him know it was about the mission. The four climbed down the rocks and headed towards Cloud in the East.

* * *

Red eyes blazed through the glass window and watched as the four miscreants crawled down the ledges of rock and crags. His head tilted up as he studied his younger ancestor. The boy, though unmanageable at times, would become very manageable now that he had his little toy to dangle right in front of Sasuke's face.

The boy was the key to the final destruction of Konoha. Pein had only scratched the surface before the blond haired kyuubi jinchuriki had stepped in and meddled with his plans and had killed Pein along with the destruction of Konan. Pein was a loss that was grieved but the man could always be replaced. He would miss Konan though. She had always seemed to warm his bed whenever he could get her away from Pein.

Hearing the door open behind him as he watched the other Uchiha descend. He didn't even turn around already knowing that is was Kisame that was there. Only Kisame and Deidara, stayed around the infrastructure, while Zetsu was almost always away from the estate, gathering information as he blended in with the trees of all nations.

"Do you trust him?" the deep yet almost childlike voice asked behind him. Madara huffed lightly.

"Of course not. He had nothing holding him to us besides the fact that we are related. And that is why I had you pick up that little tart that is now sitting quite pleasantly, or rather quite unpleasantly, in our prison cell." Madara stretched his shoulders backwards. "That is how we are going to keep him tied to us. He may not admit it but he still has connected bonds to his teammates and since getting the kyuubi is out of the question and the copy nin really holds no strong bonds, why not the female? I'm sure he would get ticked off if he knew she was here."

"What are you going to do to her then?" The blue hued man asked.

"That, not quite sure of, depends on Sasuke." The Uchiha shrugged. "But I might as well go and pay her a visit. Wouldn't want her to be lonely, now would we?" Madara cocked his head backwards to the other man who had a grin on his face.

* * *

Madara walked along the cold stone walkways and down passages only to come to the familiar sound of water dripping and drizzling along the cracked walls, as it always had done when there was a prisoner that was entombed in this tomb of rock. The sound of his footsteps reverberated around the close stone walls as he continued his downward ascent towards the cell where he knew the pink haired 'bond' was sitting probably trying to figure out exactly what had happened.

Coming to the farthest door once he had set foot on the straight walkway. Turning the key in the lock he could hear the light shuffle of clothes and chains. She was probably starting to ready herself for whatever or whoever was going to enter into her little prison cell.

Creaking the door open he let the door swing open after it had finally stopped screaming from not being opened on a regular basis. This was, however, the rarest cell used as it had a chakra enhanced jutsu kept on the room, the jutsu feeding off the occupant. Usually their prisoners didn't have the monstrous strength that this one had, hence the need for the unused room.

He could see her face turn slightly in his direction, wanting to feel the small light on her cold body, seeing as how the torches burned brightly outside her room. He heard a small cough from her as he stood in the middle of the bright light, sending a shadow to cast over a portion of the room and a portion of herself. He was essentially barring her from her wanted light and possible heat, that light seemed to bring with it.

Stepping forward he could see her clearly visibly flinch. He knew that she hadn't quite figured out who exactly he was. Walking forward towards her he only stopped when he was directly above her. His dark features were hidden by the shadow of where he was standing at. He looked down at her pitiful features. He didn't exactly know why Sasuke had retained his bond to someone who looked so........ childish.

He made a facial expression at her cotton candy pink hair, though now it was a dark pink, caked in mud and dirt and an even possible leaf. She wasn't exceptionally curvy and as fleshy as he liked his woman. This girl was small and almost too lean for his tastes. But then maybe Sasuke found her _unique _hair color exotic and maybe that was what he liked. And maybe he liked the woman that were too lean for their own good, but whatever the case maybe, he was sure of one thing.

This girl was on his genin team and had been infatuated with the younger Uchiha since a young age, and really that infatuation was one of the reasons she was here now. And also because somehow, he didn't know how which was rare for him to _not know, _ but she had wormed her way into the younger Uchiha's revenge driven soul and he had managed to keep their bond intact.

Taking his foot he lightly tapped her shin that was exposed to him, and he could see the creamy skin underneath the mud and dirt again. She didn't respond to him and it made him slightly angry. He knew that she was awake and conscious only if it was semi-conscious, but she was able to make out that he was there and wanting to get her attention.

"Welcome to the Akatsuki dungeons, Haruno Sakura." he told her finally getting impatient with her, he kicked slightly harder earning himself a squeal of anger from her weakened state and finally he gave her the introduction.

"Now don't be so impolite. I just welcomed you." He told her lightly, acting as if everything was just a game to him. His eyes bore down on her once again bent form. He mocked her from his standing form. "You should feel honored. Not many people get to come here."

"..... for good reason." he heard her mutter and then her head once again turned upward. " they only come to get tortured and to die." he slitted his eyes at her. She was now mocking him and the Akatsuki.

"Maybe you should mind your tongue a little." he told her coldly before returning to a more pleasant voice. "Besides, you aren't here to die. Just to play a little game."

"A sick game." she weakly got out.

"That's right." he bent down folding his knees and coming eye to eye with her. "But still a game none the less. And you are the main piece. Quite like in the game shogi. The king is the the piece that wins the game and you my dear are the king." she glazed over eyes looked at him confused.

"Let me explain a little then." He straightened back up. "The king can move in any direction for one move. Now I will tell you why you are the piece that will help me win the game." He paused and looked at her, she was now clearly interested in what he had to say.

"I am playing a real life game you could say, with a certain someone. I don't want to lose and though in the game shogi you lose if you make an illegal move, in this game there is no illegality. I will capture the other player's king, with you."

Her heart dropped, her voice stuck and both mouth and throat had dried up like a desert. This man was beyond sick. He was telling her in a round about way that he would be using her a pawn in his sick little game that he had supposedly going on with another human being, except this game was real and she was the determining factor of who won the game.

"Who are you?" She croaked out, trying to wet her throat and mouth a little and she could see in the shadows where he was standing a glint off of white teeth.

"I, my dear, am Uchiha Madara. Founder of the Uchiha Clan and Leader of the Akatsuki." and all she wanted to do was crawl in a hole and die.

* * *

Her body and mind were still trying to process the information that the founder of the Uchiha Clan had been talking to her, wanting to use her as a pawn in his malicious life like game of shogi. The man had to be crazy and well very ancient as well.

But her mind was still reeling. How could the Uchiha Clan founder still be alive? Everything in her history lessons had said, _told_ her that Uchiha Madara was very much dead, having died in the battle against the First at the Valley of the End. There were statues there, showing the reverence the place seemed to have though it was the site of a gruesome battle that ended the life of probably one of the world's greatest men.

But that wasn't all. What did the man exactly have planned for her? He had told her something about the game shogi and that she was the King. That pawn was able to capture the other player's King effectively making it check point. But who was the other player that Madara wanted to win so badly over.

Both of the known living Uchihas were dead or at least declared dead. There was no sure, proven evidence that either of them were alive. And yet how was this man, this _Uchiha_, still alive? There had to be the use of forbidden jutsu, or _something _to make the man immortal, or at least for a very long time. This was all too _bizarre_.

Shaking her head slightly to try and shake the thoughts of the practically immortal Uchiha out of her head and focus on getting out of this place before the man could really start his true intentions of why he needed her here, or where ever she was at because she had no idea. The last thing she had known was that she was near the Fire border on a mission that had turned out to be a disaster and resulted in her getting caught by the Akatsuki. She didn't know exactly which ones but she got caught.

She gasped silently. Did Tsunade know she was gone by now? Did anyone for the matter know she was gone and now a prisoner and if they didn't how long would it take them to figure it out? She _didn't_ want to be here. But then again no one really wanted to be a prisoner of the Akatsuki. It just wasn't something wished for in their lives. But here she was, shackled and in a dark, cold room, with no light saving the lit that peaked underneath the doorway. She was away from her home and friends, and in the clutches of a man immortal Uchiha, she never knew still existed. She may have been strong and willed but right now, the tears came because she once again felt weak.

* * *

"Baa-chan! It's been two days. She should be back already." a blond man whined walking around the desk that the Hokage was currently walking circles around. "You have _got_ to do something!" he was making emphasis with his arms out in front of him trying to let the Godaime notice his stressful situation. "Baa-ch"

"Would you shut up?!" the honey haired blond snapped at him whirling her head around to pierce him with her ferocious stare. "I know what is going on. I don't need you complaining and whining to me about something I already know about." The blond made his lips pout as he looked at his current Hokage and the second teacher of his pink haired teammate.

"Then do something!" he started up again.

"Don't you think I have done something?" She snarled at him resuming her walking pace as he followed suit each being across from each other at all times while walking around the desk.

"Of course, I have done _something_. I wouldn't just let my _apprentice _wander around without me knowing exactly where she was at. I'm not stupid." she growled out, continuing to walk.

"What have you done then?"

"Do you have to know everything?" the amber eyed woman bit out.

"....... yeah." the Hokage looked at him with an annoyed expression stopping for a moment.

"Well, it is none of your business." She stated.

"Baa-chan!" he whined letting his shoulders drop. "Please tell me?!"

The Hokage was about to make a comeback when the door opened and her dark haired assistant Shizune walked into the room with a scroll in her hand. Both of the different colored blonds stopped and looked at each other before looking at the innocent woman in front of them, who was looking quite baffled at their appearance.

"......uh, I got word back from the ANBU team." She said lightly noting the change of expression in the two's faces. They almost looked like two children waiting for santa to come on christmas.

"And?" Naruto blurted out. Shizune stilled for a moment, not really wanting to deliver the news.

" ANBU, they didn't find her. They tracked her scent and only found a piece of her torn clothing and the shuffle of feet and bodies on the ground." slowly the woman opened her hand and held out the small piece of fabric that was once apart of Sakura's apparel. The two blond's hearts dropped.

* * *

**Finally the chapter completed. hope that was good enough for all of you. i know some of you might be like why did you tell Sakura who madara was, but i thought it would be a little mind jogger for her. trying to figure out just who she was supposed to be leverage for but since she thinks the Uchiha brothers are dead, her head is going to be spinning and i don't know when sasuke and sakura will exactly meet, but it will happen. i mean come on that is the point of the story, but i don't know when.**

**so update next week sometime. i already had this chapter partially written when i got over here, so that is why it is up today. but work is kind of weird right now i am just getting into it, and since it is paying for me to go to college it will take up a good portion of my time. **

**so please review and let me know how i did and how you liked the chapter, or whatever you want to tell me.**

**please review**

**yoyo  
**


	3. Chapter 3: First Move

**Well, wrote this chapter pretty fast. thanks to a lot of ice cold water and listening to Imma Star by Jeremih. so thank those two factors for letting me write this chapter so fast. **

**thanks to all those who reviewed. i loved reading your reviews. glad the story is doing well. **

**Disclaimer: DNON**

Warning: some abuse content. not graphic because i just can't do that, but there is some abuse in here and not until the end.

**Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

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* * *

  
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The bickering that was going on was annoying the hell out of him. Ever since the team had been created the two were constantly at each others throats, threatening and making fun of the other, if you could even call it making fun of the other. It was more of a time to throw insults at the other. He found it rather annoying and found himself rubbing his forehead with the pads of his fingers trying to keep the oncoming headache from actually taking over right now. They were so close to finishing the stupid mission.

They had located the man with ease. He apparently had a fetish for bars and pretty girls who would also be too drunk out of their minds to even see what the man looked like. The man was not one of the most attractive guys, Karin had made that point upon seeing the target's picture. The man, they all had to agree, wasn't someone that they would think would ever gain information seeing as when they had spied on him he was always piss drunk.

He growled at the two behind him when they started to get too loud and told them unceremoniously to shut up. They both quieted down, Suigetsu just not wanting to get his rear handed to him by the Uchiha prodigy and the female shut up, just because it was her _precious_ Sasuke-kun that told her too. At times like these he really wanted to beat his head against a tree or a wall, seeing as that was what was available. His team though incompetent at times was still useful in deadly situations.

The sky was beginning to darken and from their open doorway that led out to the balcony of their inn room they could see that their target was just exiting his line of work to head towards the local bar, where the sake would be unlimited and and the man would surely get drunker than all get out. But something still bothered Sasuke to an extent. This man was always piss drunk. How on earth could this man possibly know anything about the Akatsuki? Something had to be wrong. This whole situation was chaotic in some way, but first he had to prove it.

The team waited another fifteen minutes before they made their move. Karin was already entering the local bar to get a layout of the place and their target. Sasuke had set up the mission so Karin would have the honors of luring their man out of the bar and into a side street, where the man of course would be using his dirty mind and thinking that they would be doing something, but then once in the side street he would be quickly questioned before his life would be ended.

Sasuke and Suigetsu along with Juugo remained in the shadows as they watched Karun saunter into the bar, but not before the ruffled her already crazy styled hair. It already looked like she had had sex before she had even entered the place, which would make sure that the target would catch onto her easily as well. If he was thinking it and saw her with her getup, he was sure to be drawn to her without hesitation, and from there it would be easy.

* * *

Karin snuffled her nose when she walked in. She could stand the stench of cigarette smoke but this was just too much. The whole bar seemed to reek of cigarette smoke, alcohol of various brands, and even a little of sex. It wouldn't surprise her if she went into the bathroom to see someone getting it on. The thought made her grimace a little but then when she thought about it if it were her and Sasuke then it might not be so bad, but she knew that was probably not going to happen.

Making her way to the bar, she sat at one of the stools, effectively crossing her slim legs to allow her shorts to ride up just below her derriere. She could already feel the lustful stares of men as they looked her way. She wanted to snort in disgust, she may have looked like a whore, but she wasn't. The thought made her pause, and she realized she had just called herself a whore. Pushing the thought out of her mind, ruby eyes searched for the target.

Once spotting him she actually did snort in disgust. The man was sitting at a booth with two women on either side of him, both practically sitting on his lap, as he welcomed the sake and other alcohol that he was drinking, occasionally offering them a drink or two as well. Her mind began to think of ideas of how to get the man alone with her. Once she saw one of the girls leave she made her way to that spot.

Sitting where the other girl had left the vacant spot she began to talk to the man in a dirty manner and within five minutes she was leading him out of the bar for what he thought would be the best night of sex he had ever had. But when the two entered into the side street, did his senses come back to him.

"What? You want me to do ya here?" he asked in a slurred manner.

"Of course not." she replied stepping backwards until her back hit the other side of the side street's wall. And that was the cue for the others to move in.

"But I have some questions for you." Sasuke's cold voice spoke out. The man opened his blurred eyes wider, making the already blurred vision a little clearer than it had been.

"Who....are you." he swayed a little, even with his back now against the wall.

"Doesn't matter." Sasuke replied crisply. "What do you know of the Akatsuki?" short and straight to the point.

"Akatsuki?" the man asked making his head hurt as he thought of what the answer was supposed to be. "I know nothing of this Akatsuki." He replied shaking his drunken head and holding his hands up in a manner of dumbness.  
"You know nothing of the Akatsuki?" Sasuke asked, his suspicions that this was a botched mission from the beginning were starting to become reality.

"Not....nothing." the man said again. "I don't even really know who they are." the man paused. "Can I go back to drinking?" Sasuke looked at the man who was completely drunk and the man apparently didn't know the situation he was in.

Sasuke looked around the streets for a second. It was now dark, the only light coming from the moon and the light that was emitted from the flames of torches and candles and the little electricity the town had. This man was completely innocent. Madara had sent them on some stupid mission to kill a harmless man. What exactly was that man up too?

Turning his attention back to the man, his eyes flashed red and black tomos starred to spin rapidly. Muttering only a few words, he watched as the man slowly dragged his back down the hard rock wall to the ground where the man slumped over face landing on the semi-wet ground. The man wouldn't remember what had happened, and Madara wouldn't be the wiser if he had or hadn't killed the man. Making a hand motion he started walking away, his team following him, while his sharingan still blazed red. He _hated_ being used.

* * *

All three sets of eyes looked at the lone piece of fabric that was located in the black haired woman's palm. Hearts dropped and the hope that Sakura was maybe safe were gone out of the window. There had to have been a struggle, but with who, that was the question. Azure and honey eyes met for a second before they locked back onto the piece of fabric.

"Sakura-chan." the spiky blond haired boy whispered softly. It was the only thing that broke the silence. The room stood still for a few moments more before once again the silence was interrupted.

"Shizune, find Kakashi and tell him to get up here immediately. Don't tell him anything though." She finished off closing her eyes, hiding the pained honey from the world. The dark eyed woman consented and left the room, but only after placing the piece of cloth onto the desk for the other two in the room.

"Baa-chan....." Naruto stated. "we have to get her back." the room again entered into silence.

"I know." was what the Godaime whispered back. "and we will."

Shizune finally found the elusive copy nin walking around the market streets. He had his ever familiar orange book out in front of his face yet he knew exactly where to go, walking and dodging around everyone that he would have bumped into if he didn't have that weird sense that made him avoid them. Calling his name and waving her hand in the air she approached him rapidly.

When he took notice he saw the waving hand of the first apprentice of the Godaime. Her black cropped hair was whipping around her face as she pushed her way through the crowd towards him. He stopped and moved to a side of the street where it wasn't as busy as other parts of the street and waited for the dark haired woman to catch up to him. She paused before him and said nothing trying to regain her breath a little before she started to talk.

"Kakashi, Tsunade-sama needs to see you immediately." the woman said and Kakashi just nodded his head in a casual way. He would get there a little later. "And no, you can't go a little later, she needs you _right _now." the woman enforced pointing his body in the direction of the Hokage Tower.

Kakashi sent a puzzled glance down at the assistant to the fierce Godaime. If it was that urgent something had to be wrong. Nodding he set off in the direction that the woman had pointed him in and if that wasn't enough, the assistant followed him, either making sure he actually got there, or she too was involved in this little meeting that he had to go to that was so important, that he had to put his own Icha Icha away.

He trudged almost sluggishly up the steps not really even wanting to go to the Hokage's office. He had been given a week off since his last mission and as far as he knew he still had three days of vacation so being called in was something that he really didn't want. Because being called in was basically the roundabout way of telling someone that they have a mission and Kakashi didn't really want a mission at the moment. He had just barely gotten the new edition of Icha Icha and he was only halfway through it.

* * *

Walking through the door after pushing it open he walked in and saw a scene that he particularly didn't want to see, because he knew by both of the looks he saw that something was terribly wrong. And when both were _this _down, then it could only mean one thing. Something was wrong or had happened to Sakura, and if he recalled correctly she had been sent out on a mission a day before he had returned or at least that was what Naruto had said and it was a relatively easy mission for the kunoichi to take seeing as it had dealt with someone that was in need of a medical ninja.

He stopped when he came to the side of the blond haired man that had grown up to be a comrade. Kakashi could clearly tell the man was trying to hide his emotions, but Naruto was failing miserably. The blond man had his jaw clenched and his whole face was tense. Naruto wanted to probably get home before he let all of his emotions out.

The Hokage looked no better, except when she went home she had nobody where Naruto had Hinata. The Hokage was trying to act as pacified as possible but all of her emotions were blaring at him through her hurting honey eyes. Kakashi had deducted that it had to be Sakura, even Shizune was acting strangely and that was unusual. Clearing his throat he spoke.

"You called Hokage-sama." He spoke clearly even with his mask covered face. The amber eyes shot to him and he could see her compose herself silently.

"I did." She began. "It came to my attention that Haruno Sakura, was late from returning from her mission. Upon investigation I have come to the conclusion that medic Haruno Sakura was most likely captured on her mission. By whom we still do not know, but that is why I have called you here Kakashi. I felt that you should be one of the first to know. I have already sent for Sai and Yamato." her throat constricted at her own words. They were serious and almost condemning.

"I will send the four of you to the mission location and where evidence was found that we could say that Sakura was most likely captured at."

Kakashi was hardly registering the words after Tsunade had told him that Sakura had gone missing but then to add to it that she was most likely captured. But by who? That was still unanswered. Who would possibly take her? That was actually a stupid question. Over the years Sakura's reputation had grown with being a medic nin trained under the Fifth Hokage, even gaining the woman's monstrous strength that even he still had yet to figure out how she acquired that strength.

With ten minutes the other two members of Team Kakashi walked through the door, their uplifted faces turned sour once they saw the gloominess that filled the room and the somber looks that their two other teammates held. They stood at attention with their two other companions. Yamato immediately knew that something was wrong, but Sai was still a bit oblivious to what was happening, and without thinking he immediately said.

"Where's Ugly?" before the artist knew what was happening he was up against the wall with Naruto's arm up against his throat, the other hand firmly planted against the painted wall.

"Don't call her that." Naruto ground out and Sai looked at him with confusion. He had always called Sakura that and yet the name had never evoked such a reaction from Naruto.

"Naruto, calm down." Kakashe breathed. "It won't do any good to get mad at him." Kakashi's word may have made sense but Naruto wasn't thinking clearly. With a shove he let go of Sai and walked back to his spot where he was at before Sai had asked the questions.

Sai was still oblivious as to why Naruto had responded so harshly to his question but from the way the response was he decided to shut his mouth and just listen to what was going on. He turned his attention to the Hokage who seemed just as upset as his own blond teammate.  
"What is going on?" Yamato broke the tense air and a few breaths were given out.

"I have called the four of you here to give you a mission." The Hokage started once again. "Haruno Sakura failed to return from her mission and upon further investigation, the conclusion came that she had been captured, but by whom we have no idea. Your mission is to look for details and other information that could have been left behind. You will search the village where the mission was to take place and the surrounding areas, especially where the cloth was found. You leave immediately" The four nodded each leaving the room with a somber face. Naruto was the last to leave, but before he did, he turned back to Tsunade. "I made Sakura a promise to bring Sasuke back. And I will promise you, that I will bring Sakura back." Cerulean blue eyes locked into the honey eyes of his Hokage, who only nodded to his promise, and then the door shut silently and almost with a finality.

* * *

A loud curse escaped his lips. That boy was already causing trouble. He thought that since he had taken the mission so easily in a sense that he wouldn't have to use the girl so soon. But the boy was too smart for his own good. He ran a hand through his midnight hair before turning back to the member in the room. He had sent Zetsu to make sure that the man was killed and when the man with dual personalities came back that the man was not killed only wiped of his memories of what had happened he was far from happy.

"He's on his way back isn't he?" Madara asked the plant looking man.

"He left enraged. Expect him back soon." The man let out. "He didn't look too happy when he found out that the man knew nothing of the Akatsuki and you know Sasuke. Doesn't like killing unless it is absolutely necessary."

"I know that." Madara snapped. His mind going through it all. That was one thing he despised about his young ancestor. The boy was way to willing to let someone live rather than taking a life, but that would change soon. He might just have to pay a visit the girl.

"Where is he now." Madara asked.

"Last spotted crossing the Fire Country. Should be at the Fire Grass border by now. I would give him a day, two at most."

"Keep tracking him then." the plant nodded his head and disappeared from sight.

Trying to keep his cool was almost impossible. First thing first. Sasuke had disobeyed orders and that meant that something had to happen to the girl down below. Once Sasuke saw that she would be hurt if he didn't obey, it would become so much easier to control him. Briskly walking out of the room he began to long ascent to the dungeons. He already knew what to do first.

* * *

"Come on, we need to hurry." Naruto barked at the rest of the team.

"Naruto calm down. Rushing ahead of things won't help us any." Kakashi tried to cajole the boy that was listening to absolutely nothing he said. Seeing that the blond haired man wasn't heeding his words he lowered his head and kept jumping from tree to tree.

Kakashi knew how Naruto was feeling about Sakura. They had been teammates ever since they were twelve years old and now at seventeen that hadn't changed. They now had a fiercer bond of wanting to help each other, to protect one another. They had become like siblings, always looking out for one another, never letting the other have to deal with something that was painful or hurtful. That was just the way those two were.

The village that Sakura's mission was at came into view. The four descended from the trees and started to walk along the road that was leading into the village. The first thing Kakashi noted that the village was small and meager. Could it be possible that there was a higher ranked family here? Maybe in incognito. But that was suspicious. They continued walking until they were in the village. They could see the locals starting to pack up for the day. They approached a nicer more friendlier looking man, that was packing up his wares.

"Excuse me sir." Kakashi said, making the man look up at him.

"You a ninja?" was the first thing the man asked.

"Hai we are. We have a mission here. Have you seen a pink haired female in the past week?" Kakashi asked getting straight to the point.

"Pink hair?" the man asked himself, thinking about the question. "I believe so. About five or six days a pink haired girl shows up asking for a noble family that needs healing. We have no noble family here. We just a small village. She started to look panicked and then left in a hurry." the man finished his short tale.

"Which way did she head?" Naruto asked impatiently.

"Don' know, I think north west. Off in tha' direction." the man pointed.

"Thanks." Yamato said before motioning for Sai and Naruto to follow him with Kakashi just behind them. Once they were outside the village they grouped together for a minute to talk.

"Sounds like it was a fake mission." Yamato said and Kakashi nodded.

"Has to be." Kakashi murmured. "But who would want to capture Sakura?" that question stumped them all. "Let's find out where she was taken at and then go from there." they nodded and went in the north western direction to find where Sakura was taken at.

* * *

Her mind was numb as she laid on her left side. She didn't dare move her right arm, she just let it lay out in front of her. Even the smallest movement would hurt the burn mark on her upper right shoulder, though it was more of a brand mark. She let silent tears fall to the already wet ground as she tried to not whimper out in pain. She didn't want to give that man any pleasure out of what he had done.

She hadn't even remembered what had exactly happened. She was in her position with her back against the wall trying to think of what exactly that man was going to do to her when the door had opened with a small fury. She had jumped from the suddenness of the movement, that and she was still wary of the man that had her under his thumb.

All she knew after that was getting a rough hard slap and then her chains were unlocked and she picked up and dragged out of the room and into another room where once she became oriented again she had fought but after a few more hard slaps she was too disoriented to even resist and then she felt the fire that erupted on her upper right back. She could only remember letting out a cold blooded scream before her mind went black.

Slowly raising her head to try and see what exactly was imprinted on her skin she could see the dark outline of.......a cloud? She tensed. Had the man marked her with the ever infamous cloud that the Akatsuki wore? She didn't want to crane further to directly see, but she was sure that was what it was. Letting her head drop back to the ground she tried to will herself to sleep. She didn't even have enough chakra to heal the charred flesh.

* * *

He stormed through the front doors of the large stone structure, leaving his team to do whatever the hell they wanted but he had some business to attend to. He didn't think he had ever climbed all those sets of stairs and walkways so fast since he had been at the base in Rock. Flinging the doors open to the room where he knew that the man would be, he stalked in wanting to make sure the man that was in the room knew exactly how mad he really was.

"Madara!" he barked at the man. The accused man only rose from a chair he was nonchalantly sitting at.

"Welcome back Sasuke." the man calmly said. "How was the _mission?_"

"The mission?" Sasuke snarled. "Was a botched up one. I don't run around killing innocent people for your sick pleasure. What the hell was that about?"

"Now, now Sasuke. You don't have to authority of questioning what I do, or want done."

"Like I care?!" Sasuke snapped. "Your even more pathetic than my brother was. You can say goodbye to whatever you thought you could do to me."

"Does that mean you want to leave? Because you can't Sasuke. Remember I told you about that unattached string." it wasn't a question. "Well I'm sure you wouldn't want that string to get....cut."

"What are you talking about?" The young Uchiha snapped.

"Why don't I show you." Madara spoke with an undertone of sadism.

As if on cue the doors of the room were opened and Kisame and Deidara approached with someone between them but their cloaks covered the persons head. The two Akatsuki members dropped their load and Sasuke didn't breathe when he saw just who was kneeling on the ground on all fours, her hair making a curtain to shield her face from him.

Pink hair was attached to a female body that he saw. His mind reeled. It couldn't possibly be _her._ But it was her, the pink hair was a dead give away. No one else had pink hair. But then something else caught his eye. He could see her breathing but he could also see a torn part of her shirt and there on the upper right side of her back was a.....brand? And it looked similar to the clouds that were on the cloaks.

"What the hell is going on and why is she here?"

* * *

**Sorry for the little cliffhanger. well, hopefully the next chapter won't take long to write so i can get it out quicker**

**So, yeah, what did you think of that? my first try at something really violent, sort of. so yeah. and just so i say this now, i am not a sadistic person, so when there will be torture scenes or whatever, i will probably be like with my fight scenes, so just a forewarning.**

**so please review and let me know how I did.**

**please review=)**

**yoyo  
**


	4. Chapter 4: Of Kunai Pouches

**So the next chapter being posted at midnight or a little after. hope you enjoy this chapter and what is sakura there for, it is revealed. **

**thanks you all so much for the reviews and comments. you make me love writing this story. **

**Disclaimer: DNON**

**i am a little apprehensive about the chapter just because, but hope you enjoy it. some fun humor at the end.  
**

enjoy

* * *

**Chapter 4**

* * *

The four sets of eyes looked upon the clearing that was said that the ANBU found the scrap of shirt that had once belonged to Sakura had been found. The four began walking into the clearing and then spreading out looking for something that might indicate a struggle or a fight. Footprints could easily be seen on the layer of dirt. The four looked towards the position Kakashi was at when they heard a small poof and then another set of ragged breathing.

A small medium brown pug sat on his haunches on the dirt his small tail making an indent in the dirt. Large eyes looked up at his summoner, before the pug actually stood on all four paws and shook his body off of the sand that he had acquired on his hind end.

"Kakashi." The pug said in a small baritone voice.

"Ah, Pakkun!" Naruto let out excitedly, only causing the pug to look over at him with a disconcerting gaze.

"What do you need Kakashi?" the pug asked the summoner.

"Sakura went missing around here. I need you to find her scent." the pug nodded and put his nose to the ground sniffing around the clearing and making sure to be careful where the scuff marks in the dirt were at.

Kakshi stayed still, his only single eye moving as he watched the pug move around the clearing trying to pick up on the girl's scent. The pug then started making a definite trail towards a tree with a space underneath the tree and big enough to hide a female that was small enough. The pug raised it's head and called out to Kakashi, who immediately made his way towards the tree. Upon reaching the tree he squatted down and looked underneath the tree.

Indeed there were signs of someone having been there. The sodden dirt that was below there was disheveled and moved around, indicating that someone had been trying to hide themselves. He told the pug to go farther in and to tell him what he smelled. If Kakashi's thinking's were right, Sakura would have hid under the tree and gathered to dirt to her, masking her smell and camouflaging herself from the enemy.

"It's her scent. Still the same shampoo she used when she was a genin." the pug nodded recalling that he too had used the same shampoo way back when. The others had joined Kakashi at the tree.

"So now all we need to know is who captured her." Yamato spoke almost solemnly and Kakashi nodded his head.  
"But who? We don't even know where to start." Naruto almost whined out.

"We know." Kakashi tried to cajole the boy. "Let's head back to the town and see who might have passed through there within the last week and go from there." he told them and received nods from all parties, before they took off back towards the town.

* * *

She had been lying on her side trying to ease the pain that was still throbbing on her shoulder. She was sure that when she got out of here she would give that man the whooping of a lifetime. He may have the advantage right now but she was sure when Konoha came for her, that he would not have the advantage then. But would Konoha even come? They could look for her, but they wouldn't know who to peg first.

She had been trying to figure out some way that Konoha could figure it out when two other Akatsuki unlocked the door and came into her cell. In self defense she had tried to move away from the two men, one which she recognized as Kisame, the other she wasn't too sure of, but she wanted to kick their rears when they unceremoniously picked her up by her arms.

Pain racked through her body and she let out a strangled cry as she felt her shoulder twist and move. She tried to help herself by trying to walk on her feet, but it only did so much and that was only a little. The pain was still coursing through her. Thinking she was in for another round of what the last man had done, she was mistaken when they half led her half dragged her up stairs and across walkways. She could vaguely hear small whisperings from others, but she couldn't see them, before another stairway came to their feet and up they went.

She could vaguely hear loud voices behind the doors that were before her and the two men. Her mind was going through consciousness. The pain was just too much. She could feel the burn and the heat when one of the men shifted. The suddenly the room became quiet and then the doors opened and again the two men were on the move, her with them. She tried lifting her head but she couldn't see anything due to the billowing of the cloaks.

Then she was dropped and she had to catch herself. When her hands hit the cold stone floor another rack of pain went through her. Her arms buckled to keep herself on all fours rather than on her face and side. She could hear the deeps of breath by others, but she still couldn't raise her head. Shutting her eyes tightly she tried to get through the pain she was feeling but they shot wide open when they heard a familiar voice.

"What the hell is going on and why is she here?" only a deep chuckle was the response. Hearing footsteps she tried to gauge where they were at, but then with horrific realization she realized they were coming towards her.

She stayed stock still not wanting to show the fear that was coursing through her body. The footsteps were getting closer and closer and she was trying desperately to not shake from fear. Then the footsteps stopped and lifting her eyes only a little she could see the sandaled feet of someone and if she had to take a good guess she would guess it to be Madara. He took several steps and ended to the side of her facing Sasuke before he squatted down next to her.

"You should know her Sasuke." Madara said playfully. "She's your little unattached string, the one that is threatening to get.......cut." Emerald opened wider, he was going to kill her. She started violently but the pain on her shoulder made her cry out and unfortunately the only one close to her was Madara.

"Now, now, you shouldn't be moving like that with that wound." and her teeth gritted together and she wanted to spit at him but she couldn't.

"Madara, why is she here?" Sasuke asked again. He was fully stunned to see his old teammate before him and inured and what was Madara talking about with the string. He watched as Madara straightened himself up.

"You see Sasuke, I realized that you were becoming a little too free willed for your own good. I have things that need to be done and I need certain people to do them."

"Get to the point Madara." Sasuke spat.

"I am. And one of the certain people is you. But I couldn't control you, so I got someone who could." Sasuke furrowed his brows.

"You mean her?" He asked incredulously. "You think she can keep me in line? I broke those bonds long ago." Madara let out a low chuckle.

"That is what you want to think Sasuke. But I felt your chakra spike when you saw her brand." he laughed and moved closer to her inured shoulder. "I thought it was appropriate to brand her with an Akatsuki symbol. His fingertips played with the welted flesh and she gasped out in pain. Even the slight touching sent the pain off.

"But you see Sasuke, bonds like the ones you had can _never_ be broken. And that is why she is here. That brand was caused because you didn't follow orders to kill that man, no matter how innocent he was. Disobedience caused that brand to appear." Sasuke gritted his teeth. "So you follow orders and she doesn't get hurt. Is that clear?" Madara asked the now infuriated younger Uchiha.

He had control issues, Sasuke knew that, but this was just too much. His ancestor was playing the dirtiest game of all. Use someone, in this case Sakura, against him and make him follow orders like a damn dog. Coal turned brilliant red within seconds.

"I don't like being controlled Madara." Sasuke stated with a deathly calmness.

"Oh, but Sasuke, I can't just have you running around without a leash on. That would jeopardize everything we have worked so hard for." Madara said with a sickening sweetness.

"What exactly is that?" Sasuke retorted back.

"The downfall of Konoha." Sakura sucked in a harsh breath. "You know you want to see the downfall of Konoha. The Elders ordered Itachi to kill the clan." Sakura's eyes popped open at the statement. Didn't the old man know that he was feeding her information now? "She's only here to make sure that you fulfill that goal."

"She has _nothing_ to do with this."

"Actually, she could have a dual purpose. Keeping you relatively quiet and on a leash and helping us get back at Konoha for everything they have ever done to our clan." Sasuke looked at Madara and then down to the pained looking Sakura, before looking back at Madara.

"I don't care what you do. She doesn't matter to me and don't think you can _ever _control me. My team and I leave tonight." Sasuke stated coldly before brushing past Madara and the ground laden Sakura.

"You might want to reconsider that. You wouldn't want anything to happen to her would you?" Madara asked the young Uchiha.

"I don't like to repeat myself Madara. I don't care." Sasuke said giving the older Uchiha a glare.

"Then I could just end her life?" Madara asked nonchalantly and Sakura again started, this time actually making some progress away from the man even through the pain.

Sasuke who had been almost out the doors when the statement had been said stopped suddenly and turned his head to face his ancestor. He hated the thought of her being killed just because he didn't want to roll over and play dead for the older Uchiha. Turning around he faced the older Uchiha. He may have held no bond towards her but a meaningless death was something he wouldn't stand for. Madara knowing what he was thinking inwardly smirked, the boy was predictable.

"I see. Now you want to be a little more willing to follow orders." the younger Uchiha begrudgingly nodded his head and sent a glare at the girl now withering in pain on the floor. Her scuttle away from the man had caused the brand to open slightly and seep droplets of blood.

Madara motioned for Kisame and Deidara to take her out of the room and they did so, grabbing her just as roughly as before and Sasuke found himself restraining himself slightly from telling them to at least be more gentler with the injured girl, but if he did then he might fall deeper into whatever Madara was thinking.

"Now Sasuke, let's talk." Madara grinned broadly a feeling of triumph in the air with his words and Sasuke moved back towards the table.

* * *

she was really going beat the living crap out of these people when she felt better. Again she moved herself so that she was lying on her left side and her right arm out in front of her. Her mind was still going over what had happened in the room, trying to get her mind off the pain that was now coursing regularly through her body.

She had been stunned when she had heard Sasuke's voice, but then immediately understood, just exactly why she was there. Madara thought that Sasuke still had a bond with her and that Sasuke was the other player in this game of Shogi, as Madara put it. But she was sure that even with her presence that Sasuke would still submit to the almighty will of Madara. Hadn't the old fool heard him. She meant absolutely nothing to him.

Even from his first statement of what the hell is she doing here, made it clear to her that Sasuke was not at all pleased to see her and didn't want her to be around. And she was partly okay with that. She didn't want to be around him if he had the attitude of 'I've got a stick up my butt'. But she wasn't sure if Madara knew of her feelings for him.

She still harbored those feelings of want for him. Not the lust want, but the want to be near him, to show him that life wasn't all about killing his brother, which he had already done, so that one didn't matter anymore. But the feelings of him actually being wanted for other than his powers and abilities, for his last name if that even meant anything anymore. She wasn't sure if she could say she still loved the Uchiha but if she had to say like, then it was a heavy liking.

But what scared her right now was that her life was in that man's hands. Not Madaras, well it was but it was now placed in Sasuke's hands. If the Uchiha didn't do what he was told to do then she might as well call herself dead, because that was what she would be. She knew the older Uchiha was ruthless thanks to all those early Konoha history books that she had snuck out of Tsunade's library to read. The whole thing fascinated her.

That led to the other thing as well. If she did get back to Konoha she finally knew part of the truth about the massacre. And she had half wondered why Madara would openly talk about that in front of her about that. If the Elders really did call for the extermination of the Uchiha clan then the Third must have issued the order. It didn't fit together perfectly right now, but if she stayed alive long enough to get out of here then she could help erase the tarnish that had made itself known on the Uchiha name.

But that would be _if and when _she got out of this place and she would make sure that she would get out this place and get back to Konoha. Taking a deep breath to calm herself down slightly she realized the throb that had been incessant on her right shoulder had gone down to a dull aching. Finding the energy she sat up, making sure her back didn't hit the wall. Looking around the room she realized the two idiots that had brought her down hadn't put her wrist shackles back on.

Getting to her feet and holding her right arm with her left to relieve the pressure, she walked around the cell. Placing a hand against the door she felt the chakra that held a sealing jutsu on the door. She could also feel the jutsu that was on the entire room and she realized that was why she didn't have a lot of chakra. The room basically was feeding off her chakra, making her chakra leave her and giving the room the chakra it needed to hold up the jutsu.

It was just her luck that she would get placed in such a room. It was probably due to the fact that if the men that had captured her had known about her, they would have known she had the strength of the legendary Tsunade and could easily break through regular walls. But they forgot one thing. She was also quite intelligent, and maybe just maybe she could counteract the jutsu and find some way to get out of here.

* * *

The streets of the town were nearly empty when they returned back to the same streets. They did have some luck by finding the same old man that had pointed them in the direction that Sakura had taken off. The old graying man had a look of surprise in his eyes when he had turned around and found the same set of ninja in front of him.

"Can I help ya again?" the old man asked and the four looked at each other, wondering where to begin.

"Actually you can." Kakashi started for the group. "We found the area and we were thinking that you might know a little more about this. Can we ask you some questions?" the old man sighed.

"Of course." he started. "le' me finish up here and we can all go back to my place. Just down the road a little way." they nodded and waited for the man to complete his packing before the five moved towards the man's abode.

It was a medium size house, and at first they had wondered why an old man would need such a large house for one person. He had answered their silent question by stating that he had once had a family. A wife and a daughter, but unfortunately they had both died several years earlier in a fire that had taken their lives and their house. He had built the house back to where it had been. He said he felt closer to them since it was similar to the old house.

Getting inside the house, the four took seats and the old man went to get some tea for them before coming back and sitting with them and finally declaring that he was now able to answer their questions without interruptions and so that they would have time to talk about things if necessary.

"You saw the girl we were looking for a few days ago." Kakashi stated and the old man nodded. " a few days before then was there anyone suspicious around the town?" Kakashi asked earnestly. The old man paused and took a drink of his tea before setting it down and a contemplating look came across his face.

"I don' know." the man shrugged. "anyone we get aroun' here is always suspicious. No one really ever comes aroun' anymore."

"Anyone at all." Naruto broke out, a pleading cry in his voice. The old man started with move his mouth slightly.

"Well maybe." he waved his hands a little. "about a week before. A man came through. Dark hair, pale features. Went to the postal area. Said he had a note to deliver. I was coming back from a store from buying some supplies. Dropped a note off, said to deliver to Konoha and that it was urgent. Then he walked away and disappeared." the old man finished up.

"Dark hair and pale features?" Kakashi mused.

"Remind you of anyone sempai?" Yamato asked.

"Sasuke." Naruto whispered. "old man did the man look like him?" He pointed a finger at Sai, who looked passive.

"No, the man was older." the old man shrugged.

"What type of clothing was he wearing?" Yamato inquired.

"Well, he was wearing shinobi attire, I guess. Slate gray pants similar to yours. Same colored shirt with some mesh." the four shinobi looked stumped.

"Did he have a pouch like this on his thigh." Kakashi pointed to his own. The other three looked at him bewildered.

"I don't believe he did." The old man said uneasily.

"Kakashi, what does that have to do with anything?" Naruto whined out. "That isn't going to help us get closer to finding out who has Sakura-chan."

"Actually Naruto, it just did. Lets get back to Tsunade. She needs to know." the other four people in the room looked at him with curiosity, just wondering who had Sakura and how the man had figured it out with just a question about kunai pouches.

* * *

Her hands felt along the walls looking for a place where the chakra was at its weakest but she couldn't find anything. It seemed to be well reinforced everywhere she went. The room she had learned was about five feet by ten feet. It was small but it was large enough that she had at least some space, rather than being cramped together with no space.

Wincing she held her right arm up a little. It still hurt like crazy but at least she had been able to salvage a little chakra and heal it slightly taking the edge of pain away. She could however feel the tightness of skin in that area, she could practically feel that horrible cloud that had been imprinted on her skin for the rest of her life. Even if she did get out of here, she would always have a cloud brand on her shoulder. But that mark also gave her the determination to kick the asses of those who had inflicted the brand upon her.

* * *

"Who was that wench that the Akatsuki dragged up and down the stairs like a rag doll?" Karin asked taking a seat in a chair diagonal from both Suigetsu and Juugo.

"How should I know?" Suigetsu stated returning to clean his sword.

"Because it is somehow connected to Sasuke-kun of course." Karin spoke a little haughtily.

"With you it always revolves around your 'Sasuke-kun' and you know he hates it when you call him that." Suigetsu stated calmly though on the inside he was bursting with joy at telling Karin off.

"He loves it when I call him that. At least he has more use of me than you." she stated grinning at the double meaning.

"Like he would ever do you?!" Suigetsu let out a peal of laughter. "that will only happen in your wet dreams Karin. Besides he probably wants a virgin, not a whore, to bed and then have brats with and seriously you would kill any looks the kids might have had." Juugo couldn't help but give out a low rumble of laughter at Suigetsu's comments.

"Why you little..." Karin seethed at him.

"What lost your brain too? Sasuke definitely won't want you know. He needs someone smart, so that his brats will be the smartest. The brats would probably get dumber by just looking at you, because even though glasses help some people look smarter, they just don't on you." Suigetsu laughed again at Karin's expense.

"Oh and if he wants to tell us what the other girl was about, he will." Suigetsu got out of the chair and attached his sword to his back before walking towards the exit of the room. "besides maybe she was a gift to him from that old Uchiha, you know for the restoration of the Uchiha clan." Suigetsu snickered as he left the room leaving a fuming Karin sitting at the edge of her seat wanting to kill the man that had just exited the room.

* * *

**Well there was the chapter. hope it was good and lived up to your expectations. now let me make a few statements real quick. i will reveal the kunai pouch next time and it is so awesome really. i couldn't believe it when i did some searching just to make sure my hunch was correct. really cool though. and the end was just kind of good humor. and yeah what madara wanted to talk to sasuke about will be next chapter and it will lead us into the first big arc of the story. **

**So i will try and get an update out before or by wednesday. i am moving into my apartment on thursday so the computer will have to be transferred and all that jazz. so by wednesday i will try and have another chapter out and then after that, it will be whenever i have time to write. things change constantly in life like jobs so by wednesday**

**Please review and tell me what you think of the chapter. let me know what you thought **

**please review =)**

**yoyo  
**


	5. Chapter 5: Assumptions

**ah the next chapter. feels good to get this out. **

**Thanks for all the reviews and alerts and favorites that you all did. means a lot. **

**Disclaimer: DNON, but do own the plot**

**I am really excited about this chapter just because it has the kunai surprise. so cool. so i won't keep you waiting, and remember this for later. Konoha knows nothing about Madara. keep that in mind.**

**so enjoy!  
**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

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To say he was furious was an understatement. He stalked into his room snapping his door shut with finality and anger. Discarding his clothes haphazardly except for his pants he stalked around the room anger emanating from his person. The older Uchiha had to be out of his mind if he thought that Sasuke could just be controlled by a mere girl, that was from his past. The older man would be seriously disappointed when the effect that Madara wanted wasn't there.

Taking a kunai quickly out of a pouch on his bed he started to spin the weapon around on his finger. It helped him calm down slightly, but he was still rather pissed off at the conversation that he had just come from after Sakura had been taken back out of the room.

The older Uchiha had looked upon him with triumph gleaming in his eyes, as he thought that he had won over the younger Uchiha. Madara had acted as calmly as ever before he had started to tell Sasuke of what the older Uchiha needed the younger to do. Madara had too much to do with starting the plans to take down Konoha, but there was still some unfinished business to take care in another area.

The tailed beasts were not yet all gathered. There were two remaining and Madara still needed the eight and nine tails before whatever the Akatsuki were really planning came to fruition and that was where Sasuke came in. Sasuke and his team would have to pursue and capture the eight tails and then afterwards, Madara would head out after the nine tails or more specifically, Naruto.

Sasuke remained passive during the lengthy speech that Madara had given him on the plans and what Sasuke was supposed to do. And then the conversation transferred back to Sakura. Sasuke was apparently to complete the task of getting the eight tales successfully and if he did something Madara didn't like, it would be another point against Sakura, meaning another punishment for the girl.

To say he was worried for the girl was a little far fetched, but he knew that it was wrong to use someone against another person. It was the dirtiest trick in the book and yet for as much as Sasuke told himself that he had severed those bonds against his old teammates he couldn't help but feel a little pity towards the girl whose life could suddenly get taken away at the slightest notice because of him and what he didn't do right. But another part of him didn't really worry about it. He rarely made mistakes, so he was almost quite certain that Madara would have absolutely no reason to harm the girl.

Sending the kunai flying towards the wall, the kunai embedded itself in the wall letting a few small cracks appear around the puncture point and for a moment as he looked at the kunai on the wall, he remembered his brother doing the same thing, except then it was straight into an Uchiha fan that was decorating a stone wall that surrounded the compound.

* * *

The team of four stood in the office, Kakashi and Yamato taking the outsides while the two younger members were on the inside of the row. The honey eyed, blonde haired Hokage looked at them with interest. In only four days of being gone, it seemed almost too good to believe that they had found anything pertaining to Sakura's capture. Red nails tapped against the desk sending little echos through the silent room.

"Well, what's the report?" she asked in a disbelieving voice not thinking she was going to hear anything of importance from the team. But kakashi did step forward indicating he did have something to say.

"We found the area where she was taken but it gave us no clues to who had taken her." Kakashi began.

"Kakashi, I don't need a dull report, give me the information." Tsunade snapped a little.

"We went back to the town to see if anyone might have seen something days before and the man we talked too, said that one man had come into the village to send a letter out to Konoha. I think this was the man that called for Sakura for the false mission."

"Yeah, and who is he?" Tsunade said in a bored tone, telling Kakashi silently to get to the point.

"The man didn't know a name."

"Kakashi, the only thing the man knew was what the man was wearing." Naruto complained.

"What he was wearing? What does that have to do with anything?" Tsunade asked bewildered and turned to Kakashi for some explanation.

"It actually gave me the information to just who exactly captured Sakura."

"Enlighten me Kakashi." Tsunade told the man.

"It was the Akatsuki." the four others who were not talking took in breaths or gasped at the answer Kakashi gave.

"How on earth would it be the Akatsuki?" Naruto asked looking at his sensei.

"Easily. When the man gave us the information on what the man was wearing the slate gray color didn't help. But usually when asked what ninjas wear, there is always a statement about a pouch or wrappings around the right thigh. There were no words said about wrappings and when I asked about the pouch the man said the man that had delivered the letter had no pouch and therefore no wrappings."

"So how exactly does that link to the Akatsuki?" Naruto asked and Kakashi sighed.

"We have gone up against the Akatsuki many times, and not once on any Akatsuki member have I ever seen a kunai pouch or wrappings. It is always the slate gray pants and sandals nothing else. They wouldn't really have need for such tools when they are already S-class missing nin. Now as for the exact person, I don't know who, but I would say it was the Akatsuki that took Sakura."

Silence overtook the room, each contemplating if what Kakashi had said would really be true. And each time they would think about a time they had come across Akatsuki now and in the past, they indeed could say they had never seen a kunai pouch or wrappings on the right thigh of the opponent. Even when Pein had attacked the village, the man would always use ninjutsu or a dojutsu. Kakashi had to be right but could it really be that simple?

"Well, Kakashi if it is indeed the Akatsuki, where are we going to start looking?" Tsunade asked. "Ever since Pein, the leader was killed, movement by the Akatsuki have been mild. Who would be leading the Akatsuki now?"

"I don't know." Kakashi shook his head as if reinforcing his statement. "But the old man also said the man that came to the village looked like Sai here only older."

"You think Uchiha Itachi, could still be alive?" Tsunade asked.

"Possibly." Kakashi informed her. "There was never ever any true statements that both or one of the Uchiha brothers were dead. It could be that Itachi is alive and had some use for Sakura."

"What could Itachi possibly want Sakura for? It has been nearly seven months since then. If he would have needed her for healings, if that was what you were implying, then I believe he would have made a move earlier and he wasn't with the Akatsuki when they attacked the village." Tsunade remarked, shooting down Kakashi's ideas of just why Sakura was taken.

"I'm just saying, it was the Akatsuki that took her and that it could very well be Itachi. What purpose he has for her I don't know." Kakashi said retreating slightly in the battle of words.

"Fine." Tsunade gave up. "It could very well be the Akatsuki. So I am giving you four a mission, with an unlimited time limit. Find Haruno Sakura, gather information if you can and bring her back home safely." Tsunade said with firmness. The four nodded with resoluteness and bowed before leaving the room and to get prepared for their mission. Once outside the room the four stopped.

"Be at the gate in one hour." Kakashi told them before they dispersed to gather the necessary supplies for such a long mission.

* * *

A slim finger tapped the stone above her. It had taken a while to figure just exactly where the weak point of the small prison was but once she found it, it made absolute sense that it was placed right there. The weakest point she had discovered was nowhere on the walls or the floor but rather the ceiling at the far left corner, the farthest corner from the door and was shaped at a downward angle. The door was where the jutsu was activated at and so at the farthest point from it would be the weakest point. The door was the strongest point for the jutsu.

Gathering another little bit of chakra she poked the point causing a small dent in the rock to appear. Tapping the rock with her fist she heard an almost hollow sound above it. Quirking her mouth she thought about the construction of prison cells, not that she had ever been in one, but she had looked at the blue prints for some of the cells in the interrogation building. If this was similar to that building, then there would be a passageway of some size that connected all the cells to each other and hopefully also an outside let out.

Her urge to just pummel the rock to bits and escape had to reined in, she did not want to cause a commotion right now. It just wouldn't be exactly the smartest thing. If she were patient and actually knocked the stones out and created a hole that wouldn't be easy to spot. She could take her time in escaping and figure out where she had to escape from and then when the moment was right she would escape unnoticed. She just hoped that when that time came she would have the strength to actually get out of there.

Hearing footsteps she scuttled back to her familiar seat on the ground a couple of feet away from the door. The plan would also depend on if the mongrels that had placed her in this wretched cell didn't hook her back up to the chains, seeing as they also drained the person's chakra and if she was drained then there would be almost a zero percent chance of getting out of the cell, with or without her life intact.

The door creaked open, though it was getting better at not creaking, and a man that was dressed in the familiar Akatsuki dress stood above her a glass and platter in his hands. He bowed down and set it on the ground. She looked surprised at the meal before her. It was the first meal that had been brought to her while she had been incarcerated.

Only approaching the meager meal only when she could hear the faint footsteps of the person that had brought the meal. She looked at distastefully, eying the glass of what looked like water but smelled like sake, and then the bread and just poking it made part of it crumble and she didn't even want to consider what was wrong with the cheese. She could remember several times asking the rhetorical question of 'what do prisoners eat?'. Right now she wished she had never even asked the question. It was probably karma wanting to get the best out of her.

But seeing as how she was a prisoner and really couldn't remember when she had lasted tasted something edible she decided to swallow her fear of the probably diseased food and took a bite out of the bread. It wasn't as crumbly and stale as she thought it would have been but it was still harder than she would have liked. Taking a sip of the water look likes sake, she coughed after taking a sip. It was indeed sake and a pretty strong one at that.

Placing the cup down she decided she would have to find a water supply because there was no way she was going to keep drinking that strong of sake. After finishing the bread she eyes the cheese that had been placed next to the bread. Grabbing a bit between her index and middle finger she brought it up to her nose to smell before actually nibbling at it like a mouse would do. It tasted slightly sour but thinking it wasn't too bad she decided to finish it off as well.

After finishing the meager meal that, she went back and leaned up against the wall making sure to watch her should still. Though the significant pain was gone, there was still pain when she leaned to hard on it or when she rotated her shoulder in a certain way. Whenever she could she would send some healing chakra to the area and soothe it, as well as take away the burn and the pain. Emerald eyes drifted towards the slanted area of the room where the ceiling angled downward. She could hardly wait to start knocking out the stone so that she could finally get out of here. She knew it would take a while but she would do it, she _had_ to do it.

* * *

The team again was leaving the stone enclosure. He really just wanted to get this mission out of the way. It did work to his advantage that the eight tails was currently located in the Rock Country. Now they just had to figure out exactly where. There were several places that it was rumored that the eight tales resided, so they would start with the closest place. A village nestled up into the rocks about a days journey away.

If the beast was smart it would conceal itself in the rocks on the high plains of the country. There it would be harder to locate and it would be left in relative peace unless someone really had a will to find the beast. But like all jinchurikis there was a host, and the host was human. And that was the biggest problem. If the host or rather carrier of the beast was intelligent, he would know exactly what Sasuke and his team were there for and retreat making it harder to capture the eight tails.

Sasuke growled lowly, he absolutely hated this. He threw his hatred at Madara and also at Sakura. If she hadn't of been stupid enough to get caught then he wouldn't be in this hole and he would have left Madara to do whatever he wanted. He could have helped plotted against Madara later on, which was what he was planning to do before Sakura so inconveniently showed up and ruined his entire planning. That girl was so _annoying_. Lifting himself up over a large boulder he continued to walk forward his onyx eyes holding a deadly intent in them warning no one to mess with him unless they had a death wish.

* * *

the team had assembled promptly within one hour. The four gave each other grim looks but beneath the grimness there was hope that now since they knew who had taken Sakura, that they could find out where the Akatsuki were currently at and find Sakura before something bad happened to her, or to prevent even worse things from happening.

Within the first five minutes of their journey they had just walked away from the gates first deciding where to investigate first. They had all mutually decided to go to Amegakure first. It was after all the place where Pein had once resided over Akatsuki from and there just might be some clues to where the new leader might have taken up new residency.

They had finally taken to the trees and were bounding through them, their hair flying around them. They had raced through the trees until night was upon them and then Yamato had created a house for them to spend the night in and to continue to talk of their next actions.

"Kakashi-sensei, do you think that Itachi is still alive?" Naruto asked the gray haired jounin.

He had never wanted to accept the plausible death of Sasuke, but when the man had said the man was older than Sasuke it had sent the blond boy in denial even more. It had always been the youngest Uchiha's ambition, or goal, to kill the older Uchiha brother and avenge his clan. Naruto knew that Sasuke wouldn't have gone done without an intense fight, but Sasuke was Sasuke and Sasuke could never and would never lose. It was just the way things were. Sasuke had too much going for him, even though he had made some stupid mistakes.

"I really don't know." Kakashi admitted. "but Sasuke and Itachi are, were the only two living Uchihas, and if the man didn't look like Sasuke but an older version than we have to take into consideration that Sasuke might have been killed by his older brother."

"You can't seriously mean that sensei? Sasuke was, well, he was Sasuke." Naruto tried to save his friend.

"Naruto, the man was older than Sasuke." Yamato spoke in. "even if Sasuke was alive, he would be near his brother and he isn't." The blond bowed his head.

"I just..... I just can't accept it. Besides what would Sasuke brother want from taking Sakura?" Naruto tried to console himself, and it wasn't working.

"There are many possibilities." Kakashi pondered.

"Like what?" Naruto barked lowly.

"The Sharingan does take affect to ones eyes that posses the sharingan. Sakura does have expert medical knowledge. It wouldn't be that doubtful that after such a battle with Sasuke he wouldn't have damage done to his eyes."

"There are plenty of medics for that." Naruto snapped.

"But none as good as Sakura, especially in things like that. " Kakashi pointed out.

"How would you know that sempai?" Yamayo questioned his team leader.

"Because she has helped me with my own." Kakashi began. "When one uses the mangekyou sharingan it hurts the eyes. I knew she had been doing some research with the sharingan and I asked if her she would check on mine. She has been helping me with mine for about four months now. She has more intelligence on the sharingan than even Tsunade does."

"So Itachi captured her to use her to heal his eyes?" Sai asked with uncertainty.

"It is a good possibility." Kakashi said. "the bodies of the Uchiha brothers were never found."

"Then Sasuke could still be alive?!" Naruto proclaimed.

"But if he was, he would be right on his brother's trail and clearly he isn't." Kakashi pointed out and Naruto slumped forward.

"He just _can't _be dead." Naruto whispered, not really believing in his own voice. The other three looked over at their forlorn companion but said nothing else for the rest of the night. They all slept and took their shifts as they were assigned. But for that night the wood cabin was silent.

* * *

Within three days they had reached the hidden village of Amegakure. It was still a city that was almost factory like. The levels of the place were intricate and woven delicately. They had to shed their shinobi clothes, to try and enter into the city, seeing as the security for the city was heavy due to the recent events, and that they were from Konoha.

The city was a bustle of activity and the group had to constantly dodge around people and their wares to get to exactly where they were going. Finding several back roads and streets they raced through those to try and get to the upper levels where they were certain Pein resided. The information they received from the toads said that the leader resided at the upper most towers of the city.

Coming upon several doors that were either barred or chained the group inconspicuously got into the building and began to ascend the stairwells heading for the highest level they could get too. Nearing the top or what they presumed the top there became doorways and bedrooms and offices. They looked in all the rooms and for a while continued to find nothing. The rooms soon became an arduous task to look into them. And for once the team was getting discouraged.

The top of the tower was looming closer and closer to their position, yet they still continued to look in all the rooms. Their breathing could start to be heard, as it was labored and heavy due to the climbing they had done throughout the building. Their footsteps began to echo throughout the area too, as each took their own way to find the information they were seeking.

Kakashi's grey eye scanned the area he was in. In the distance he could hear the others in other parts of the tower looking for the same thing. Anything that would give them a clue as to where the Akatsuki might have relocated too. He had slowed his pace to conserve his energy and breath. Coming to the end of a long hallway he found a narrow stairwell that could very well be missed if one didn't have a sharp eye and with one eye he had to be sharp with it.

Sliding his body sideways through the narrow opening he wound himself up a narrow and tight stairwell but he was able to walk straight and not sideways. After what seemed like fifty feet up he came into a small room. Creaking the door open he looked inside of it. There was a desk in the room along with several book shelves that house books and the like.

Walking forwards into the room he began to examine the documents that resided on the floor and on the tables. His gloved hands spread wide pushing the papers apart so he could read them quickly and many at one time. His eye scanned for something, anything that would lead them towards where the Akatsuki might be hiding now. Opening up the drawers that were in the desk he emptied them and searched through them.

His eye soon came upon something interesting. It was a small note that was hidden well among the other papers, as if the writer didn't want it to be found unless the person was actually looking for it. He read the note over carefully. His hand flipped the note over and found nothing on the backside. He was skeptical of the note and for half a second he thought he would just discard it, but a two words stood out to him. Control and Capture. It seemed surreal, would someone leave a not behind like this that might lead to whatever they were planning to actually be found out?

If this note had anything to do with Sakura he wanted to know, but that was a far cry as well. It could have been written so many years ago. The Akatsuki were an organization that had been around for quite while before the downfall of their leader in Konoha. Continuing to search through the papers he wanted, _needed _to find something else that would say that whatever had happened with Sakura was not just a spur of the moment thing and it was purely planned by Itachi and for a long time as well.

But nothing else was found. No information on where the Akatsuki might now be located at. His heart sank in disappointment. He had wanted so badly to find something that would bring Sakura back to Konoha, to be back with her friends and companions. He couldn't let another teammate another _friend_ be lost. Crumpling the note in his hand he let it fall down to the ground and bounce slightly before he exited the room, going back down the stairs and out through the small crack to join with his team.

* * *

**Hope that was a good chapter. and i loved the kunai pouch thing. it was ingenious. but yeah that was the chapter. and as for the itachi thing, konoha doesn't know about madara and they don't know exactly if the uchiha brothers died. they just assume so when the man said a man that looked older than sai, they assume that it could be itachi, because he is older than sasuke and looked different, so there you have it.  
**

**Update: yeah. probably at least not for a week. i got a new job, meaning i quit my last one. blame my manager. so i have a new job, and i start college a week from wednesday. and yeah busy busy life. i move into my apartment this week and so for a time i won't have the use of my computer as it will be in the process of moving once again. so not for at least a week. i will try and get some of chapter 6 written tomorrow, as i will have some time after i work before i need to start packing, again. so please be patient with me!**

**so please review and let me know how the chapter was, what you liked, didn't like, whatever. **

**so please review**

**yoyo  
**


	6. Chapter 6: The Feelings of Things

**So here is the update. sorry the chapter is a shorter than the last ones but life is crazy!!!!! but hey i updated at least. and thanks to Alley7744 for making me finish this chapter today. i was about to go do something when i got the review and i was like i just need to finish it quickly so i did. and sorry if the chapter doesn't rock. **

**Thanks for all the reviews, alerts and faves. they are awesome.**

**Disclaimer: DNON if i did i wouldn't be a poor college student.**

**enjoy the chapter  
**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

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Wincing slightly as she moved around on her back, she made urges to get herself off the floor and into a sitting position which was hard when she had the bruise the size of a huge ball on her stomach and probably several cracked ribs. She had already vowed to kill the men that were doing this to her, but she had decided to treat them just like they had treated her before she ended their pathetic lives. Her nimble fingers moved around on her stomach testing the sensitivity of the bruise.

It wasn't like she had done anything but apparently Sasuke had used retaliating words against Madara and apparently in their book of torture or reasons to beat her up, talking back to the ancient man was against them. She was however glad that it was only a heavy kick to her stomach. She hadn't even seen it coming. Sitting around in her cell looking inconspicuous about everything and all of the sudden the door was open she was on the ground and had trouble breathing for about ten minutes.

Lifting her head off the hard ground she looked towards her flat stomach trying to see if she could see or rather make out where the bruise was exactly at, seeing as how the dark colors came together and blended in the dim light making it harder for her to see the actual extent of damage done to her stomach. Spreading out her hands a little she was able to lift her backside without bending in the stomach and carefully with one hand and balancing on the other she was able to see the dark bruise in the darkness.

It was round and held a larger imprint of someones massive foot to her stomach. She groaned and lowered herself back to the ground and laid there for a few more minutes. With the room draining her chakra and her progressive work on her little escape route she didn't have a whole lot of chakra to heal any wounds that she may be encountering on her hopefully shorter stay, now that she had found someway to possibly get out of this hole.

Her mind wandered to the possibilities of what the older Uchiha could possibly want her for to make sure that the younger Uchiha did something without question. It wasn't surprising that Sasuke would be even a little rebellious to what Madara would want but was Sasuke so rebellious to the point that Madara had to go to such extreme measures to make sure that Sasuke would obey like a small dog.

Bringing her arms up she placed them behind her head and rested her head against the slim limbs. Everything was still making absolutely no sense, and it bugged her. Ever since she was younger she was always the smartest out of team seven. She could tell when they were under a genjutsu, deducted things quicker than the other two and during the latter years she had been good in tactical thinking. Not as good as Shikamaru by any shot, but she still knew what she was doing, so right now, not being able to figure it out, literally and clearly bugged her.

* * *

the rain was torrential as they team made their way towards the Fire Rain border. They had absolutely no success in Amegakure. There was no evidence of any kind to help them in any way, not even to give them a clue of where the new hideout might be. They had decided to get out of Ame before anyone could notice them. The journey to the border was silent besides the thudding of the mens' feet against the branches of the thick trees.

Reaching the border the team slowed and as soon as they crossed over they found a clearing and settled down, Yamato building yet another wooden house for the group to stay in for the night. Not a word passed between them. They all seemed a little dejected in some way or another. Their faces somber and serious with no expression visible except worry and four didn't talk for the entire night. Each found an empty room and settled in for the night. Within ten minutes the only thing that could be heard in the clearing was the crickets that were out that night.

As soon as the sun peeked out over the eastern hills and trees the four were standing in the now empty clearing. They were standing in a small square, shoulder to shoulder almost. Kakashi gave a deep sigh before he started to talk to the downtrodden team.

"I know we don't have any specific leads, but maybe using our own deductions we can figure out maybe where the Akatsuki are right now." He sighed deeply, as if giving the sign that someone else should say something, but no one did. Kakashi looked around the gathering.

"We need to start somewhere." Kakashi clarified. "let's figure out where to start." he used his words to push the others into thinking about where the female might be.

"I highly doubt that they would stay in Amegakure." Yamato began, and Kakashi nodded as well as getting a nod from the depressed blond. "And I am sure that they would not use a smaller country as their hideout location. Too easy to find." again there were nods. "I would say to look towards the larger countries." Yamato finished up. Kakashi looked around at the other two on the team.

"I would agree with Yamato here. So starting with the larger countries, we can rule out that Fire and Wind would not be included seeing as they wouldn't be dumb enough to be right under our noses and Wind is too exposed for them. That leaves Lightning and Rock." the group nodded.

"Her mission was close to Lightning. Let's try there first." Naruto suggested, speaking for the first time in a long while, something unusual for the blond.

"Then we'll head towards Lightening." Kakashi stated and the group nodded and began taking the first steps towards the Lightening Country.

* * *

The squabbling was already getting exhausting for him as they again passed through another village without information. They had tried to get Karin to head into the villages and get the information, but to no avail she had come back empty handed each time, with no information, though she had seemed a little intoxicated each time she had come back.

Onyx orbs gazed over the town, scrutinizing it with wonder. He knew that somewhere in that town there had to be someone that would know something about the eight tails and that they would have some information to help him and his team find the beast so that they could take it back to Madara and then be on their own way. But there was a block to that idea and that again was Sakura.

Leaning against a large rock he crossed his arms. Eyes flickered over to Karin where she was again getting ready to try to go into the town and gather information about the eight tales. They had already been to two other towns and this would be the second night at this particular town. Eyes locked back onto the village. Standing straight from the rock he told Karin to stay at the camp that night while he went in and tried to gather information. The red haired woman looked at him shocked but when she had tried to reason him out of it he had refused saying he would get the information.

Walking into the town he had left his katana behind but was still armed with hidden kunai and a dagger that he had acquired along his travels as well. Spotting the bar that he was sure that Karin had gone into the night before, he detoured himself to make an entrance into the bar but not before getting a room at a local inn.

Steady steps was what he took as he approached the bar. He would usually try to avoid such places if he could but in these types of situations it was necessary to lower himself to the point of being a male that would enter one, not in order to get flat out drunk and get a lay, but to use his masculinity and apparent charm that he despised to get the information out of several already willing girls as he entered into the bar.

He could already feel the lustful gazes towards him. The temperature from the outside to the inside of the establishment had risen considerably and the stench of alcohol, sweat and smoke was in the air, clarifying that it was indeed and establishment of such purposes. He walked smoothly towards the bar and ordered himself a bottle of sake, before finding himself an empty booth for his needs.

Lowering the neck of the sake bottle to the brim of the cup he slowly let the sake escape the bottle and enter into the awaiting cup. Placing the now partially empty bottle on the table he rose the cup to his lips to take the drink, eyes taking in all of the women that were looking at him. Onyx orbs scanned the crowd to see just who might be the one that would know anything about the mysterious eight tailed beast.

And a woman did catch his eye. She was sitting at the far corner, almost opposite of him, and she too was drinking from a cup that undoubtedly held sake. He noticed that she too had noticed him and for the moment he would play the man to get. He kept his eyes on her and watched her thoroughly as she continued to drink her drink, as he did the same.

While drinking the alcoholic drink, he studied her closer. She was dainty, he could tell and knew that she had had some years as a kunoichi under her belt. Her dark purple hair fell against her shoulder blades and her dark brown eyes watched him as carefully as he watched her. Setting down his cup for the final time he placed a few ryo on the table and silently motioned for her to follow him, and she did.

Quietly the two slipped out the bar a little waved from each other. But as soon as both were outside, he was already leading her towards the room he had gotten at the inn. Just looking at her closer he could tell that she was probably the person that would know something about the tailed beast, if anyone in that place knew anything about it.

The door to the room opened and closed and soon the two occupants were on the bed, the male over the female. Sasuke could tell being that close to her that she was thoroughly intoxicated and would probably let her information out quite easily. Making the touches he knew that would turn her on, he let her mind become even hazier than it already was.

"what's your name?" he asked touching the right place to make her moan it out.

"Rika." she breathlessly let out.

"Rika who?" he asked pushing her shirt up.

"Morisho." she let out a small moan, as he collected the information in his head.

"Are you a Rock nin?" he squeezed her sides lightly kissing along her jaw, and her bobbed in response.

"Do you know anything about the eight tailed demon?" he removed her shirt and was undoing her pants, while she was working on his clothes sloppily.

"Do you?" he stopped and she whined and then nodded, making him continue.

"What do you know?" he asked, running his hands over her body.

"What do I get?" she asked breathlessly again.

"a good night." he replied calmly, stopping his ministrations, indicating he wanted information before he would take her all the way, and with the possibility of missing out on the man the woman began to talk about the demon and then getting her reward.

Eyes looked carelessly at the blanketed body that was sprawled out in the sheets. He had found out that the evening had been good for many things. It was good to get the information he needed and also to relieve some of his frustrations, and his partner was very good in helping him out.

He was pleased to find out that the demon was really only another few days travel away from where they were at. Tucking the sleeveless black haori into the hem of his pants he placed his sandals on and left the room making sure not to wake the exhausted female. Gently padding down the stairs he paid the innkeeper and gave the key back and left the inn and then the town.

Heading back towards the area where his team was settled in for the night he reached the space in minutes. The sound of his footsteps roused his companions. The three looked at him with expectancy, and why shouldn't they? He had gone into the town to get information and get information he did. He told them they would move out at dawn, before he went to rest against the base of a tree trunk.

By mid morning the team of four was entering the base of the mountains, that was to lead them up to the eight tailed beast. All morning Suigetsu had been asking Sasuke over and over again how he had gotten the information and each time Sasuke would either ignore him or tell him by certain means, which Suigetsu still hadn't figured out the certain means.

Sasuke knew that if Karin had figured out his meaning then he really wouldn't want to be near her when she exploded with rage, seeing as some other chick got some from him and yet all the time that she had been with him on the team, he had never once touched her. He kept walking as he could still hear the incessant question being asked over and over again of him.

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Amber eyes looked out over the village as she sat almost nonchalantly in the chair that now faced the large windows. Her mind kept reeling from the fact that the Akatsuki may very well have Sakura. She knew that Sakura could be used as a bargaining chip against Konoha and even herself and maybe if it came down to that, Tsunade would help her apprentice, that she had come to see as a daughter figure.

Sure, she had Shizune and the older woman was a great assistant and friend when needed, but the younger apprentice was just like a daughter to her, and had even picked up her mentor's attitudes as well. Tsunade could see Sakura as a mini Tsunade, in many ways. With the medical ninjutsu Sakura was more accomplished than she was at the age, and Sakura had also gained her monstrous inhuman strength.

Letting out a heavy sigh she swiveled the chair around again and looked at the stacks of paperwork that sat on her desk. Shizune, she was sure would soon come in here and barrage her with the sayings that she needed to fill it out. Right now she kind of missed the pink haired apprentice. Sakura would sometimes help her with paperwork and let Tsunade off the hook of not being yelled at by the darker haired woman.

Picking up the pen she held it above the paper and scrolls but she just couldn't write. She felt almost as bad as the day she had heard that Jiraiya had passed on after losing the fight with Pein before the attack upon Konoha came. She wasn't exactly sure if Sakura was dead or nor but right now it seemed almost likely that Sakura was in a life and death situation and there was again absolutely nothing again.

In her mind already, she had gone over all the possibilities of what could have happened. She could have checked out the area to see if there really was a noble family out in that area, she could have sent someone with Sakura to make sure that the girl had gotten back in safety or least if she still had gotten taken, they would have a real lead to who had taken her and not some fact about a kunai pouch.

The fact about the kunai pouch had actually surprised her. She wasn't expecting Kakashi to tell her that the Akatsuki had taken her just by the fact that the man who had supposedly delivered the letter wore the gray outfit of the Akatsuki and held no kunai pouch or wrappings on his leg. And then the assumption that Itachi could very well be alive, it would also insinuate that there was a possibility that even Sasuke could have survived the battle as well, and that was something she really didn't want to worry about right now, with her apprentice gone.

"You miss her." It wasn't a question, though it could have been. A honey blond head lifted up to see the saddened dark eyes of her assistant looking at her with a forlorn looking pig in her arms as well. Her head nodded slowly, really showing the fear that was held in her conscious. She was terrified.

"Do you think she is alive?" Tsunade could barely register the fact that she was saying the words out loud to her other apprentice. It seemed almost surreal to the point that she wished that she had never spoken the words.

"Sakura is strong. They wouldn't just kill her, even if Itachi and the Akatsuki have her.

There must be a reason that they took her if they did." Shizune told the older woman. Shizune wanted the older woman to believe her words that Sakura was indeed alive and well. She may not have been so certain on the well part, but as long as the girl was alive, that was all that counted right now.

"I hope you are right Shizune." Tsunade muttered, dropping her pen and let her head fall into her hands, trying to keep the tears at bay in front of the dark haired woman and the pig.

* * *

The room was getting boring to him. He was always up in the room planning his next move. Deidara and Kisame were around the round table as well, looking at their leader with confidence and yet with some speculation. They fully trusted the man, but at times he went about things in the most roundabout ways he could.

When they had first heard of the plan of capturing the old female teammate of Uchiha Sasuke they could hardly believe what they had been told. Even when Kisame had been in Konoha years ago with Itachi to take the blond haired jinchuriki, he had realized that when Sasuke had come to face them in the inn a few miles out of town, that he really held no bonds towards the blond boy which Kisame had been holding.

The youngest Uchiha had only been ingrained the hatred that he had felt for Itachi and Kisame could see the dark haired young man had showed no feelings towards the blond boy. So indeed it was surprising when Madara had told them to capture the girl to use against Sasuke. The two had done as they were told to do.

But ever since the youngest Uchiha had seen her for the first time that day up in the very same room they were in now, Kisame had seen something flicker across the young Uchiha's features when he had seen the pink haired girl, and her Akatsuki brand on her shoulder. Kisame could have sworn that for the slightest instant he had felt the boy's chakra flare before calming down slightly. Though he could see the annoyance that was written across his face as well, Kisame was sure that Madara had been right in making them capture the girl that day.

"What do we do now?" Deidara asked. "Sasuke is getting the eight tails, what about us?" his hands laid completely flat against the table's surface.

"We wait on him for the time being, but we plan for the capture of the nine tails." Madar replied taking a seat in a chair at the table. "We plan our attack against Konoha."

"What does Sasuke have to do with that?" Kisame asked. What use was the girl when they would just plan the destruction of Konoha?

"We need Sasuke for the battle. He already holds a hatred towards the village, but ever since a few months ago, Sasuke's feelings have been changing. That is why we have the girl. She keeps him in line. Besides I'm sure you both saw and felt his reaction to seeing her and he gave up far too easily when I wanted him to track down the eight tails." Madara spoke, and answered Kisame's unasked question.

The two nodded and kept quiet as the eldest Uchiha alive continued to talk about what he was planning as well as giving them a report he had gotten from Zetsu on the youngest Uchiha's progress on the capturing of the eight tailed beast.

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**so again sorry if the chapter sucked and also for the grammar errors. so that is the chapter and what is now going on. **

**Update: i will try for one next week, but i start classes tomorrow and i have a full day tomorrow, so i will try for next week but no promises. college now rules my life along with work**

**please review and let me know how i did**

**please review!!**

**yoyo  
**


	7. Chapter 7: Hidden Thoughts and Plans

**Hello. so it has only been about a week i think. i will apologize in advance for this chapter. i have been writing it while going through some things. with getting sick and going through a traumatizing event, i hope that you will still like the chapter, as i have not had a lot of motivation to write the chapter. but hopefully you will like it, and what not. also it is loosely edited, so i apologize for the probably many grammatical mistakes that my college professor would get extremely mad over. so just a forewarning to everyone.**

**thanks for all the review and the alerts and faves. i appreciate them**

**Disclaimer: DNON**

**also apologize for the shortness as well. **

**Enjoy =)  
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**Chapter 7**

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It took the team only a few days to get back to the village where they had talked to the old man about Sakura only a week before. If Sakura was in Cloud then they would head through the small village and then head northeast into Cloud and try to pick up anything. There were several border towns that might be able to help them determine if the Akatsuki were really in Cloud or if they were elsewhere.

They didn't go straight through the village, rather around it but only by a small margin. But they did stop again at the site that Sakura was taken at, just to make sure they hadn't overlooked anything there. They tried to find the footprints that had been imprinted on the dirt but since their last visit a storm had apparently passed through making the tracks disappear.

Kakashi inwardly scolded himself. If they hadn't of been too occupied with trying to figure out if Sakura was really there, they should have also have been looking for the clues that could have told them in what direction the person or persons had taken her, had gone. Scolding himself some more on the inside he berated himself for not even thinking about what they might be doing in the future after the preliminary search was done.

They out skirted the village and headed in a more northern direction. It took them two days of travel before they came upon another village, yet it was a village dried of information. Many of the people had maybe heard of the Akatsuki organization, yet none had really seen them around. It wasn't too surprising to Kakashi seeing as how Cloud was somewhat secluded from the world.

Passing the border into the Cloud country they headed towards the first and closest village that was located on the map. It was a small village that was located near a small river. The town looked run down and in disorder and the first person they came across to get information from, knew nothing about the robed ninja that they were trying to find. And for several people after that, it was the same asnwer.

Leaving the village to head towards another one, the team was downcast in their lack of success. They jumped through the trees with less than enthusiasm and effort. Their movements, though still languid, seemed the be heavier and duller. Within a couple of hours they knew they were again approaching the next village. They stopped and looked over the village. It was growing dark outside and it was probably the perfect time for this village seeing as many of the people were already congregating at the local bar.

It was completely dark when the group of four entered into the town. They knew it would be harder to get information out of someone that might know when they were only men. But luck was with them when after spying on the entrance to the establishment opened up and a man that was heavier set, walked drunkenly out of the door and took several wavering steps towards the other side of the street. With one movement from Kakashi the man was taken into an alleyway, where they all congregated to try and get some information out of the man. Kakashi and Yamato would be the ones doing the questioning, and they both approached the scared looking man, that had quickly sobered up.

"Do you know anything about the Akatsuki?" Kakashi asked, with a tone of don't 'bs' me.

"Who?" the man asked slurred.

"Ninja, with black cloaks with red clouds imprinted on them. Yamato specified and the man nodded his head, and a flicker of hope ran through the team.

"Yeah, they were here a couple of weeks ago." the man blubbered out.

"Why?"

"I don't know, they didn't tell me why, only they thought I knew something and I didn't." the team looked a little confused.

"They were here for you?" Sai asked expressionlessly. The man nodded his head again.

"It was a team of four. Three males and a female with red hair. The one that was in charge, had red eyes, and he wanted to know what I knew of Akatsuki, but I didn't know anything, and then he just left, I guess after knocking me out." the man gasped out.

The red eyes comment got everyone's attentions. If it was red eyes than it had to be an Uchiha, unless it was someone that had natural red eyes, but someone coming from the Akatsuki with red eyes meant only an Uchiha, and this man had confirmed that an Uchiha was alive and well within the ranks of the Akatsuki, but the team part disgruntled Kakashi. Akatsuki worked in pairs not teams. The only team that he knew that would have an Uchiha on it would be Sasuke's team. Rumors had come into Konoha about the younger Uchiha and his team when he had killed Orochimaru.

"What did the man with red eyes look like?" Kakashi asked impatiently.

"Kakashi, what does that have to do with anything?" Yamato asked, " it is most likely Itachi." Kakashi ignored the comment and question and asked the man again what the man looked like.

"I don't know. Tall, dark hair, pale skin." the man whimpered out cursing his luck. Kakashi then roughly pulled Sai to stand before the man.

"Did the man look like him?" Kakashi asked pointing a finger to Sai and the man nodded furiously.

"Just like him, only spikier hair, and maybe a little more emotion to his face." the man kept babbling the information out like a brook, and Kakashi got his answer.

It was indeed the younger Uchiha that had been here. But then there arose the problems. If both of the Uchihas were alive, were they actually working together or was there someone else in all of this? But the younger was definitely alive, and he wasn't sure if Naruto had realized that. But it cleared a few things up, especially about the team part.

"Do you know where they came from?" Kakashi asked this time in a quieter voice.

"No, but they aren't from around here, I can assure of that." the man spoke softly.

"Thanks for your time." Kakashi spoke a little dangerously, before releasing the man and signaling the team to leave and gather outside the village.

The four gathered together in the forest away from the town. Kakashi was deep in thought as he thought about everything that had been given to him information wise and also the fact that if both of the Uchiha were alive, why exactly were they working together. Something was missing and that was what was bothering Kakashi right now. Maybe talking it out would help him understand it more.

"Kakashi-sensei, where do we go now?" Naruto asked lightly and the gray haired man looked at him. He didn't really have an answer yet. They knew they weren't in Cloud, so the next largest country was Stone.

"Probably to Stone." Kakashi said limply. "But before we go we need to clear things up." the three turned their undevoted attention to what Kakashi was about to say. "I now believe that Sasuke is alive. The man said Sai looked close to the man that came to him, only with slight differences. It could only be Sasuke and from the rumors Sasuke had a team, after defeating Orochimaru." he could visibly see Naruto's cerulean blue eyes light up even brighter.

"But what about the older one that supposedly sent the letter?" Naruto asked.

"By description, I would assume it would be Itachi, seeing as he was the only Uchiha in the Akatsuki. "Kakashi began again. "That would mean that the two would be working together right now, and that however is hard to believe, seeing as how Sasuke has held so much hate for him over the years."

"So then what could be going on?" Yamato asked and Kakashi merely shook his head.

"I don't know. All we need to do is find Sakura and then we will worry about what the Uchiha's are doing."

"Then we head to Stone." Naruto spoke clearly and with authority. The three others turned to look at the usually hyperactive blond, who was now showing his seriousness and leadership to them. They nodded, silently agreeing to head to Stone to find Sakura.

* * *

To her the hole seemed to be getting bigger each time she started to knock away at the stone. The stone was hard and durable but with a little chakra enhancement she was able to get through the stone and start to create a small gap. It would still take a while to make the whole large enough for her to squeeze through but right now it was just getting through to the other side before she would start to expand the area to fit her body through.

Feeling a numbing feeling on her shoulder she stopped her small tapping against the rock and walked back towards her small sitting area and sat down and then moved her left hand across her chest and over her right shoulder to place the hand on her area of numbness. It was the dumb and intolerable brand that had been stuck there.

Using a small portion of her chakra she had reserved for healings she let the green chakra form and then wash over the area washing the area in a cleansing and cool feeling. Within a few minutes it felt cooler and the area was no longer as numb as it had been.

Leaning her head back on the stone wall she lifted her eyes so they looked up at the black abyss of whatever ceiling was there. It had been several days since she had really come in contact with any of the members that had brought her here. It was nice though, the solitary. At least she didn't have to deal with them punishing her for a reason she had no idea what it might be.

Looking back down she held out her arms before her. She could clearly see the bruises that lined them, only knowing that they were there for reasons she had no idea. She could only wonder what Sasuke might have done to make it so that they would feel it necessary to take their frustrations out on her.

Looking at the plate of food that was settled near the door she pushed herself to the balls of her feet and with her back and arms stretched forward she grabbed the plate by the edges and pulled it back, as quietly as she could towards herself. It was the same meager meal she had been getting ever since the first time they had fed her, but luckily they had replaced the sake with water, so she didn't dehydrate herself, but she had also found a small natural spring leak in the corner near where she was knocking her little whole in the wall at.

If there was water around this area then there must have been a larger water source near as well meaning with water, there would be no scent to track once she could escape, and use the water. Then she would go back to Konoha and give them the information that she had learned from the Akatsuki. But then that caused another problem. She had absolutely no idea where in Stone she was at, and she couldn't very well ask the members where she was. That would make it seem obvious that she was planning something and in all reality it was just stupid.

Eating her meal she again, started to devise more escape plans for when she could escape. They weren't all elaborate but at least they were ideas, and she had nothing really better to do than to knock stones out of a wall and conjure up ways to escape and then later torture the men that had her here.

* * *

He swore that his team knew that he had done something to get the information that he had gotten only a few nights before in the stone village. It was mostly Karin's gaze though. He knew that if Suigetsu knew how he had acquired the information the man would be patting his back and letting him know that at least he had gotten some. But Karin would be wailing and making threats to kill the girl if they ever went through that town again.

Lifting himself up again over a rock he looked ahead at the continuous mounds of rocks that awaited them, and there was no way around them. He wanted this mission to be over with and soon. But he also knew that going after a jinchuriki was not an easy assignment. All those years ago, when he had fought Gaara, he had seen the power of only the one tailed bijuu, but this time it would the eight tailed and he was positive the beast would have more power., but he had also gained power as well.

Behind him he could hear the continued whining coming from the red haired woman as the silver haired man kept making insults about her, and one of them he was sure had to be about what Sasuke might have been doing the other night to have gained such information. But karin should know that it would be useless for her to try and pursue the Uchiha. She had done it before and each time he had turned her down, no matter how bad he had wanted to relieve himself.

They camped that night between a circle of rocks. Sasuke had pulled out his map and was looking at their location and then the location of the tailed beast. They would have another two to three days travel before reaching the area where the beast was at. Looking at the location he looked at the geography of the area. If it wasn't a good place for a fight he would have to lure the beast out and to another field where it would be more advantageous for him.

Scanning the map in the area where the beast was at he could see that there were several bodies of water nearby. The geography he knew wouldn't be the best, but when the entire area for miles looked the exact same, he would just have to deal with the fact that he would have the disadvantage and that he would just have to make the best out of it.

Rolling the map back up he placed it carefully back into his pack. Laying down on his back on the bedroll he had, he shifted his arms behind his head for a pillow. Flicking his eyes to the side to see the fire and the other members of his team, his conscience thought about the times with Team Seven when they had been around the fire during a mission, and when a fire was permitted, and that brought his thoughts to Sakura.

He still held blame towards the girl for making him do this mission. If she hadn't been stupid enough to get caught then he wouldn't be heading into a fight that really wasn't his fight. He really held no interest in the tailed beasts, but because of her, he had too.

He would have to admit that she had grown up. Her eyes that once held passiveness blared with anger and spite when he had seen her. And then the other interesting thing was that she had worn the medical skirt that only medical kunoichis wear. If she had become a medical ninja that would also prove to the Akatsuki that she would also be used for other purposes than just controlling him.

And though his liaisons were few and far between at times he couldn't deny that she had grown up in certain areas. It was only natural for a man like him to notice the growth in her, and he was sure that the Akatsuki had seen it too. She was just adding points to her demise in that stone enclosure. But he was still unnerved by the thought that she would be able to _control_ him.

It had seemed absurd to him at first but now looking back, it hadn't taken much for him to willingly agree, however willingly it was, to take the current mission and not fight with Madara tooth and nail over it. If she really did have some hold or bond left to him, then he would just have to break it and as soon as possible.

He was sure that Madara could feel Sasuke's plans changing. When Itachi had first been killed, all Sasuke wanted to do was to destroy Konoha and take down its very walls, which was exactly what Madara wanted in a sense. The older Uchiha wanted to take over Konoha, and become the Hokage and restore the Uchiha clan to its original prestige.

Sasuke could say he wanted the downfall of Konoha, but only to a certain extent. Lately he had really only wanted the deaths of the Elders that had given the orders to have his brother kill his clan. Once the Elders were gone, it would take time, but he was sure that with time, wounds would be healed and that he _might _have returned to Konoha to once again start the restoration of the Uchiha clan in Konoha.

But now once again everything was changed and not for the better. Which was why he was hoping that Sakura would somehow manage to escape the clutches of Madara and get back to Konoha and tell them what she had undoubtedly learned while being a captive. He knew that even though he _might _have freed her if he had been there, that she still needed to get back to Konoha and let them know.

His thoughts shook him slightly. Was he wanting to help Konoha? His thoughts had told him that he indeed wanted to help Konoha, but his true goal was to ultimately destroy Madara and everything that Madara stood for. He didn't want his clan being revived by a man that would whore countless women. That would bring no honor back to their name. No, he had wanted to bring back the Uchiha and in his own way.

What he had learned from his brother was of the corruption that was inevitably in the Uchiha since the beginning and it had all been bred by one man, and that was Madara and Sasuke would make sure that with the next generation of Uchiha, bred by him and not Madara, that they would not be like what his family and ancestors were like. There would be Pride, but not enough to bring them down. Honor, but not enough to think so highly of themselves.

The Uchiha were a proud clan and though he wanted the next generations to have the pride and honor of wearing the Uchiha fan, he would not want them to become corrupted like his family was. He would kill Madara and the Elders of Konoha and then and only then would he have enough peace to restore his clan.

Bringing a hand up to rub his face he let out a weary sigh. His eyes looked up at the sky, the darkness of the night and sky matched his own onyx orbs. His mind was still thinking about everything that he wanted to come to fruition and even though with this little setback he would still accomplish it, and nothing would stand in his way.

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** sorry it is so short but like i said being sick and going through something traumatizing does not help when trying to write. so short but there was some important things in there. **

**update: don't know. will try for next week again, but can give no promises, especially with college starting to pick up a little. **

**please review, reviews give me motivation, which i desperately need right now.**

**please review.**

**yoyo  
**


	8. Chapter 8: Coming Forth

**So got this one up pretty quickly only because i swear life hates me. so yeah this last week has officially been hell for me. first go through that traumatic experience get sick with the flu, then start feeling better and then i get a king sized ear infection that bloody hurts, so i have been drugged up for the past four days on meds and ear drops (hate those), and can't really hear out of my left ear. so my life, and i get to go back to college tomorrow and hopefully don't die. so yeah.**

**thanks to those who did review, and alerted and faved. your awesome.**

**Disclaimer: DNON, because if i did then i wouldn't be worrying about how much medication costs. **

**Enjoy the chapter!!!  
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**Chapter 8**

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If the information was correct that was being relayed to him, Sasuke would have the eight tailed beast within a week and then they could go onto the extraction and from there proceed to go against Konoha and gain the last tailed beast, without interference and Sasuke would still be under his thumb and would have to do anything that he wanted the younger Uchiha to do.

The plan in its most simplest form was foolproof but when he had to account for all the other smaller things that went along with the plan it started to make the plan become less safe and foolproof and in came the problems and the deviations and that was not a good thing. Because with the problems and the deviations of the plan came the risk of possibly losing his control over Sasuke and that was one thing he could not afford to lose.

He could practically feel the loathing that the younger Uchiha was starting to feel for him and it disturbed him greatly. Wasn't it him that had helped Sasuke out after the fight with Itachi? Helped the younger survive and get back up on his feet and get back into the training he needed so that he could fulfill what Sasuke now wanted to do, and that was to make Konoha pay for what they had done to Itachi, but right now Madara just wasn't sure anymore if that was really what Sasuke wanted.

But that was what Madara wanted. He wanted to make the Leaf Village pay. To destroy the Elders and the Hokage and inevitably make himself the Hokage of the village and then with Sasuke revive the Uchiha Clan and make sure that the greatness and the prestige that had always been bestowed with the name was brought back. That was what Madara wanted and he needed the tailed beasts to do it, as well as take control over the other nations as well.

But right now with Sasuke possibly changing his mind about what he really wanted to accomplish, it was compromising everything that Madara and the Akatsuki had worked so hard for, for the last few years. It would all be in vain if Sasuke suddenly turned his ambitions around and betrayed the Akatsuki and Madara wasn't going to allow that. Maybe another example was in order when Sasuke would arrive back with the eight tailed beast.

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His rest that night hadn't of been as peaceful as he would have liked and he was sure it was because of all of his thinking. In his mind he wasn't sure when he had done that much thinking and so deeply as well, before. He may have done thinking but when he was continuously thinking about his future and what he really wanted to do it gave him a headache rather than a feeling of complacency and that wasn't a good thing.

But right now he needed to push everything like that out of his mind. Once he got the tailed beast and returned the the stone structure of a base, he would find a way to get Sakura out of there, and make sure that somehow she returned to Konoha with her information, alive. He wasn't exactly sure where the helping Sakura thoughts had come from but if it benefited him then he should do it, and in this case it would benefit him.

If Sakura were able to get back to Konoha and relay the information that Madara had leaked out to her probably inconspicuously, then the current Hokage would have to believe her, and then him, when he wanted to kill the Elders for what they had done to Itacha and for the orders to exterminate the Uchiha Clan. It all worked in his favor and that was what he wanted, and really that was all he cared about as well.

Waking the team up, he watched quietly as they gathered their things and then they started towards the area where the tailed beast resided. If everything went as scheduled they could be near the tailed beast by nightfall and by morning they would be refreshed enough to take on a battle with the beast, capture the jinchuriki and return to the stone base in three days or less. But everything would have to go as planned if that was to happen.

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They had traveled practically non stop for the past two days and they were just barely entering into the Country that the Hidden Village in the Grass was located. The country was small and so they knew that the journey through the country would be short and the shorter it was the sooner they would be into Rock Country.

With the information that they had deduced themselves they knew that the base was most likely to be in the rocky mountains of the Rock country. They had looked at several maps of geographical proportions and had decided to head towards the closest outcropping of rock mountains when they would first enter into the country.

The Akatsuki were smart and that meant that they wouldn't just put their base in the middle of somewhere where it would be easy to find. It would most likely be in the rocky mountains, blending into the terrain and making it more difficult for people to find the place if they didn't already know where it was at.

Coming upon a small stream just near the border of Grass and Rock the team stopped and took a rest for a few minutes. Wanting to rebuild their strength for when the searching really began. Soon again maps were brought out and sprawled over the grass near the rivers shore. Fingers were pointed to certain spots and words were whispered to each other trying to find out where the hideout might be.

Packing up the supplies the group had made the decision to head to the north towards the first large outcropping of rocky mountains and then head west from there. They would follow the mountains as far as they would go and they were certain that somewhere in there they would find their missing teammate and clues to just what might actually be going with all the Uchihas that seemed to be sprouting back up from the supposed grave.

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"There in Rock by now." the voice gave out the information to another man that was now beginning to be troubled by everything that was happening around him.

"How far from here?" the older man asked bringing his hand to rest on his chin, in a pondering position.

"At least five days, possibly six. They are wanting to scour every part of the mountains, it will slow them down, and give enough time for Sasuke to get back with the demon." the voice once again rasped out.

"I see. Leave." the words were short and harsh. This was not what he wanted or needed at the moment.

He was getting so close to everything else he wanted, but maybe it was a good thing at the same time. The nine tails was coming straight for him. Maybe this would actually speed up his plans, but only if he could successfully capture the jinchuriki. But that also raised another problem. With Konoha shinobi roaming around the rituals to detach the beast from the holder took time and if they had to do two at one time it would severely weaken their defenses and make them vulnerable to attack, especially if one knew where the hideout was located.

No, though it would speed things along, this once he would pass up the opportunity to head out after the nine tails and instead let the nine tails have a warning that the fate that was to bestow the eight tails would soon be his fate. Right now though he needed to concentrate on getting Sasuke back here with the eight tails as soon as possible and then to start his movement against Konoha.

He berated himself slightly for not taking into consideration that Konoha would most likely send a team out after the precious pink haired medic. He had thought that they would merely pass by it, but why would they pass by it. He should have realized that one that was connected to the youngest Uchiha, the nine tailed jinchuriki, the slug sannin, and the copy ninja, would just not be let go that easily. Of course they would want her back. But he wasn't ready to give her back.

Stalking out of the room he had just occupied he made the long descent through the upper parts of the building into the lower levels, going down stairwells, through passageways and down more stairs. He could feel the temperature drop and the humidity rise. The perspiration was starting to make itself known the farther he descended down into the depths where the pink haired female was currently located at.

* * *

She grunted when her hips caught a little bit of the rock wall tearing a small tear in her already torn shirt and causing a small cut to appear on her hip. Pushing with her arms against the solid stone wall she managed to pull her hips and legs through, only to fall unceremoniously and with a solid oomph on the hard ground.

Swiveling her head around she peered through the hole that she had just managed to get her small body through and for once she thanked kami for not making her body like Inos or Hinata's. Sure she may have envied their larger assets when it came to getting guys but she was almost a hundred percent sure that if it had been one of them stuck and had to crawl through that space that they wouldn't have been able to do it it, and thankfully and to her advantage her smaller assets had allowed her to escape.

Looking around her surroundings she found she was in a rather large tunnel that led in tow directions and she didn't know which directions. Closing her eyes and focusing on the sounds around her she caught a small noise of running water coming from one of the directions. She knew there had to be a water source nearby.

Going in the direction she thought she heard the water come from she started her trek towards the water hoping to find an outlet out of this place and maybe a trail home towards Konoha. She knew that she would have to extremely careful as well when she was doing this. She didn't want the Akastuki on her trail so soon after she had escaped because that would just mean imprisonment and more than likely some form of torture.

Looking behind her, she saw nothing and heard nothing, so she continued forward with a certain speed in her steps. She had to get out of here and by whatever means that were available to her. Within minutes, or so she presumed she came to the source of the noise. Of course, what she expected was a river, not a roiling waterfall, only feet away from her.

Looking up towards the top of the fall, she knew there was no way that she could be able to reach the top, considering there was nothing to hold onto and her chakra was limited. Looking behind her, she knew she couldn't go back that would be suicidal and that wasn't what she wanted or needed. Finally looking down she looked at the bottom of the fall. The mist was strong and swirling and the waves made an overwhelming sound of crashing together.

She knew it was her only option, and though a part of her was slightly scared of taking the jump that might lead her to her death she had to do it. Taking a deep breath and exhaling she made a silent prayer. Checking herself over again she took a deep breath of air and kept it in her lungs and then she jumped off the ledge and into the torrential waterfall, only to be dragged under the water and to the bottom of the fall.

* * *

He knew he was close to the certain prison area but the closer he got, there was a feeling that something was wrong, and he never once turned back on his feelings. If something felt wrong then something was wrong. Quickening his pace he finally made it to the door and with a quick unlock of the key and the thrusting of the door to make it open and reveal the prisoner that should have been in there, and instead he was greeted by silence and nothingness.

He growled lowly and in hate, as he entered into the cell. There was no pink haired female located into the cell. His dark orbs darted around the room trying to find the area of escape and looking and going back further into the cell he found a small hole, but large enough to fit a small woman's body through. His dark eyes gave way to crimson ones and he growled heavily. The wench had escaped.

Turning sharply on his heel he walked out of the cell and back up the steps towards the main levels of the structure. Heading towards a room that was solely dedicated to maps, he sprawled out a map in front of him of the area around the stone structure. Finding the area where the cell was located he found that there was a nearby waterfall.

Eyes growing narrow he let the map roll shut with a snap. He knew _exactly_ where the wench had gone and knowing that she was stupid yet brave enough, he knew she would have jumped if it meant her freedom. Not bothering to take Deidara or Kisame with him he left the abode with a slam of the main doors and without warning disappeared from sight.

* * *

Her mind went blank as soon as she hit the frigid water. Upon hitting her mouth opened in shock and her lungs were instantly filled with ice cold water. Kicking her legs and arms she struggled to reach the surface of the water, pushing past the water that was pounding down onto the river. Once her head reached the surface she gasped violently for breath that she so desperately needed.

Using some of the river's momentum she surged her body a little out of the water, getting more than her head above the water. For a moment she tried to remain above the surface without moving before she finally started to tread the water around her. Finally getting some of her bearings back she began to tread the water around her trying to get her body to relax from the shock her body had just received.

She could still hear the roaring of the waterfall behind her as she started to move downstream and away from the fall. Letting herself drift for a while she finally got up the strength to start moving towards the shoreline. Finally reaching shallow water she fell on her hands and knees and crawled out of the water and onto the muddy bank on her hands and knees, and she continued to crawl like that until she was on grass. And then she remained like that for a few moments.

Hearing a sharp snap of a branch, her body stiffened as a result. Her trembling body stopped trembling and came to a standstill. Her senses that were once dulled to the shock were on high alert again, and she knew she needed to get out of here. A part of her was filled with dread that there was a possibility that Madara had found out she had escaped already.

Starting to struggle to her feet she was roughly pushed back to her hands and knees by a strong force, or rather a strong _hand_. She froze again and lifting her eyes slightly she saw dark sandals and fear instantly embedded itself into her. Sitting back on her haunches and lifting her head to get a better look she only found herself looking at a very upset and disgruntled Uchiha Madara.

Without thinking, and moving purely on instinct she reeled backwards trying to get away from the man. The man not fully intending her to fight back was slightly startled as she moved with agility. Sakura found her feet quickly and a little wobbly but she got standing and instantly made a sign to disappear. Madara watched as the woman disappeared and grinned to himself. She would think she could get away but he was an excellent tracker and knew that she wouldn't be able to get away.

Making herself reappear a good distance away from the river she fell to her knees struggling to get breath into her lungs. She was still weak from the jump and impact and she knew that she needed to get as far away from Madara as she could within a short amount of time. Getting back to her feet she began to stumble in an unknown direction. She didn't really care what direction as long as she got away from Madara.

Without warning she was stopped when Madara's form began to take form in front of her. Freezing slightly she back pedaled and headed in another direction. Feeling movement coming towards her she turned to counter but was only shoved to the forest floor, her mind again reeling.

"You thought you could escape?" the voice mocked her, and she growled lowly. Again she tried to rise to her feet but was again knocked down, this time on her belly with a foot planted firmly on the small of her back.

The weight moved as the man above her squatted down next to her and took her arms and positioned them behind her back. He tugged at them painfully and she let out a small whimper of pain. The ache in her shoulder was far from gone and the pulling was just aggravating the pain.

"Don't think you can escape so easily." the man continued to mock her. "because you can't escape that easily.

Removing his foot from the small of her back he drug her up as he straightened himself up as well. Once on her feet she tried to retaliate by twisting her body around and trying to land a kick upon him, it only resulted in her front being roughly pressed into the trunk of a tree, her face looking to the side. Within a second she was turned and he was pressed against her front, effectively pinning her to the tree.

Feeling his hand grab her face she clenched her eyes tightly, knowing that she shouldn't look into the sharingan, knowing that it was most likely activated. She could feel his eyes upon her. And she guessed that he knew what she was trying to do by closing her eyes.

Looking down at her with her eyes clenched tightly, Madara could only grin at her behavior. Of course the copy nin Kakashi would have taught her how to deal with the sharingan, and he needed to use it on her so he could get her back to the base without her putting up a fight. But he knew she wouldn't just open her eyes if he asked kindly, so he had to go to the extreme.

Knowing it would get her to open her eyes, he took his free hand and placed it against her waist. He immediately felt her stiffen and probably curse him in her mind. Letting his hand drag up slowly towards her breast, he could feel her back stiffen even more and her body begin to back away from him. Reaching his destination he placed his free gloved hand on the spot and without warning roughly squeezed and he got the reaction he wanted. Her eyes shot open and her mouth gaped, and his spinning tomoe was ready for her awaiting eyes, and withing seconds she fell limp against the tree, and he stepped away and let her body crumble to the ground.

* * *

Sasuke always had a sense that made him feel ominous feelings. It must have been something he had acquired after the death of his clan. But right now there was a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach and he didn't like it. He was sure that part of it was coming from the prospect of the upcoming battle against the eight tailed beast but there was another part of him that said it was something else.

Shaking the feelings away, he began to think of the impending battle. He knew it would be a great duel between him and the eight tailed beast. Any battle with a tailed beast was one that was never forgotten. He could remember when he had fought Garaa all those years ago. It was a hard battle with being as inexperienced as he was back then, but now, he was well prepared for a battle. His battle against Itachi was hard and fierce, but that was also an emotional battle.

This battle would be tough, rigorous and he was sure that he wouldn't come out unscathed, but this battle was also going to be a great battle. He would be fighting against one of the most fiercest opponents he would have ever faced. The holders of the beasts were usually fierce in combat anyways but with the strength and aid of the beast they were even stronger.

Many would have been afraid to face such a shinobi, but Sasuke was relishing in the prospects of such a fight. Though he knew that he would have never fought such a shinobi if it had not been under Madara's orders and Sakura's life, but now he was here and he would fight the jinchuriki and the thoughts that crowded his mind made him shiver in anticipation.

Reaching the outcropping of rocks that led to the area where the eight tailed was supposed to have resided. Sasuke had the team stop and settle down for the night. Tomorrow he would go against the beast in battle and he was sure to win. With his strengths and with his team, he was sure to win, and before long he would be back at the base, and then continuing on with his other plans.

Orbs watched as his team as they slept as he took the first watch. He sat atop of a large boulder overlooking the area where the shinobi resided and he knew that this night sleep would probably be near to impossible, but even still he would try and get some rest for the battle tomorrow.

When his watch was over he woke up Suigetsu, who grunted and took Sasuke's spot on the rock, while Sasuke laid down on his bedroll, staring up at the stars in the sky. He continued to think about the battle, but just before his eyes shut and his mind went blank for sleep, he unconsciously thought of Sakura.

* * *

**Hope that was a good chapter for you, and yeah Madara is officially evil. and one thing for the eight tailed beast, in this fic he isn't related to the kage, whatever the rock one is called. so just keep that in mind. **

**Update: probably another week. school and work this week and of course college life gets in the way of writing. so around a week or so. **

**please review and let me know what you liked, or didn't, or your favorite part. please give me some feedback. please please**

**so please review,**

**yoyo  
**


	9. Chapter 9: Fighting Against

**Here's the next chapter for you. sorry for taking a little longer, things were hectic. once i got better, i had to take a friend to the doctors and turns out she has swine flu so now my entire dorm floor is kind of freaked because another girl got it.**

**thanks for the reviews, faves, and alerts. **

**disclaimer: DNON**

**Enjoy the chapter. I am not good at fighting scenes so sorry and it does not follow the manga plotline.**

**enjoy!!!!  
**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

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When she got out of wherever this was exactly, she had full well decided she was going to beat the shit royally out of those men that were walking as nonchalantly as possible through their little stone abode. Her mind swirled with thoughts of how she was going to endlessly torture them, as the thoughts were the distraction to the pain she was currently feeling, that had also been inflicted by the men above her ceiling of her _new_ cell.

Her face was pressed deeply against the stone floor and her skin could feel the tiny pieces of rock that were making little tiny indents on her face. But she had decided to lie like this for several reasons. One she was dropped like that once she had been escorted or rather dragged to the cell, and second, moving onto her back would be too painful for her in any regards.

Shifting only slightly caused a hiss of pain to escape her swollen lips. Besides getting a good punch to the face after being revived from the sharingan induced sleep, which she was still ticked off at Madara for groping her. It was a tasteless, yet efficient tactic she had decided. Maybe if she had to distract him she would just grab his family jewels. It would probably be even more painful than getting a breast grope, especially since his were at least three times as old as any other mans.

But even still, after getting punched to make her once again rather dizzy, she was, well, she hated to even think about it. It was cruel and now she would wear even more scars of her time here than just the stupid brand. But she finally realized how bad it hurt to have something being struck against the delicate flesh of someone's back.

She could remember a time, about a year ago, when she had been called to the interrogation building to heal a man that needed to undergo interrogation but was too weak from previous imprisonment to undergo the interrogation without possible death. She had accepted the job and had gone straight to the medical ward of the interrogation building. Upon first sight of the man, she had gasped with fear and her hand had shot to cover her mouth, not wanting to let the following scream or yelp out, especially in front of Morino Ibiki.

But she couldn't help but feel compassion for the man that she was about to treat. Along his back were wounds made from whipping. She knew the practice wasn't used as commonly as it was before, but it was still used. It had taken her several hours to heal the man's back and to get his health up enough to withstand the pressures of interrogation without the possibility of death looming over him.

Now she knew what it felt like. The sting was sharp and it hissed and singed the flesh it came in contact with. Her eyes clenched shut as she moved slightly letting a small wound open up again. It was unbearable, the pain was, and she didn't have enough chakra to even think about starting to heal the wounds. She would just have to bear through the pain for a little while, until she could gain some chakra back to help restore the flesh to her back, and maybe, just maybe, reduce the scars that would be there if she didn't do anything.

Re-opening her eyes she let a few drops of salty water flow out of them. The beatings may have hurt, the groping that Madara had done may have wounded her pride, but this, this was far worse than any of that. She had not felt so vulnerable to anything in such a long time that revisiting what it felt like physically and emotionally hurt. So in the silence of the cold prison she laid there, trying to forget the pain that was crashing down on her at that moment.

* * *

the sun was just peeking over the mountains when the team of four awoke and continued to head up the mountain. They all were slightly tense knowing what was about to come, though there was the anticipation as well. They were all mentally preparing for this battle.

The team came to a stop at the base of what looked like to be a clear by worn path that led up a mountainside and towards the top of a peak. Without a wavering footstep Sasuke began to lead his team up the mountain and towards the end of what may ever be at the end of the trail. His blood began to rush and his nerves went on full alert, as well as his senses. He was almost exhilarated about what he was about to do. It wasn't everyday that someone got to go up against the host of tailed beast.

It was mid morning when the group of four reached the top of the trail. It extended further going straight across a small plain before it wound around another corner, as far as they could see. Continuing their pace they quickly traversed it all and finally they made it to a clearing. The area had to be at least a hundred meters wide, with jutting rocks in places. There was another trail, that looked as if steps had been carved into the side of the rock, with a small looking temple like structure at the top, though the structure was not a temple.

Each pair of eyes looked around the area to find the occupant of the area. Sasuke was sure that this was where the tailed beast's host resided, though no such host was in sight. Onyx orbs roved the area, and his chakra reached out trying to feel if the host was near or around. Feeling a spike of chakra come from around, his senses went on to full alert and his body straightened slightly.

Eyes darting around again, he finally saw a man walk around a crop of jutting rocks. The man was large. Easily over six feet and definitely taller than Sasuke. The man was also burly, clearly exposing his muscles and strength, just by wearing only a piece of armor that encircles his torso and extends to hook over his left shoulder. His orbs were a dark brown and held something dangerous in them. But why shouldn't they? They were the eyes that belonged to the host of the eight tailed beast.

The team of fours positions and mood changed considerably upon seeing their opponent and target. Besides Sasuke's straightened position, the others crouched somewhat, Suigetsu reaching for his sword and one his hand made contact with it, he lowered even more, allowing space for him to actually be able to unsheathe it easily and without causing himself bodily harm.

The four watched as the man walked towards them with a confident stride. The man acted as if this was a regular occurrence. For people to just come up to his abode, that was up in the mountains where none would really want to travel. But maybe, just because he contained a beast, shinobi made the trip.

The man stopped within fifty yards of the team, and he crosses his arms. The four got a closer look at him. He carried swords on his back and behind Sasuke, Suigetsu let out a small curse about the man knowing how to wield a sword. There were also several tattoos on the man's arms.

For a short time there is no words spoken between the two groups, or rather between the group of four and the lone man, defending himself from them. They watch each other closely, examining now to determine how the other may fight, but Sasuke doesn't think that the host knows that he is an Uchiha, and that will work to his advantage. The gaining of the Mangekyou sharingan would help him in this battle.

Without warning, and no movement beforehand, the man seemingly disappears only to reappear in front of Sasuke with a sword in full swing, heading towards Sasuke from above the man's head. As if in instinct and instantly, Sasuke withdraws his own kusanagi and immediately sends chidori through it, to counter the other man's word.

A crash sound echoed through the area when the two swords met, bringing both of the wielders to step back as the two met in a lock. And then, as if were planned beforehand, Suigetsu came at the man as well, though his sword hit nothing but the bare, exposed ground before Sasuke's body, only leaving a large indent, as the hard exterior gave way to the heavy sword.

Onyx eyes flickered up to see in front of him and sure enough he could see the man standing nonchalantly in front of them, swords back in their sheaths. He stood there watching them, hands placed squarely on his hips. And though the distance was pretty decent Sasuke could have sworn that he saw a small smirk tug at the man's formerly straight mouth.

Onyx narrowed when he thought he saw the other man smirk at them. It was most likely to provoke them, and really it was working. Sasuke's blood boiled when he saw that smirk, he was being underestimated and he hated being underestimated. Then without warning Suigetsu attacked the man, having too seen his smirk. But Suigetsu's smirk of triumph simply disappeared when he realized that his sword was being blocked by the man's metal armor that was around his forearms.

Staring back at the man that had deflected his sword he ground his teeth together and let out a growl of frustration. Feeling a pulsating sense of chakra from behind Suigetsu then saw fit to duck his torso, letting his leader do what he had done at the first attack, though this time it would be slightly different than the first.

The man had to reel himself back slightly to try to dodge the attack and he did so slightly making the electrically charged sword glide past him, but he still felt a part of the attack through his right arm. The currents were heavily charged and sent a zing of pain up his arm, rendering it useless for a moment. The man growled at them, drawing a sword with his right hand.

Sasuke's mind was reeling wondering why the man had not yet brought out the tailed beasts power. His sharp orbs watched the man as he withdrew the sword from the sheath on his back. Sasuke knew that he had to render the man unconscious and keep him that way so that they could get the body back to the base for the extraction.

Re-sheathing his own sword he made the ever familiar hand signals for the infamous Uchiha fire jutsus. Making the appropriate signs he sent the giant ball of flames towards the man, hoping it would stun the man or even if he was lucky enough, have the jutsu make the man feel pain, making it easier for them to render the man unconscious. But when the smoke and fire disappeared the man was still standing there, no mark of a burn at all, and it angered Sasuke.

Finally he let his eyes bleed red, making sure he would not miss one move that the man was sure to counter with, and the man did counter. His speed was remarkable, and with the sharingan activated Sasuke was able to counter the moves and fight his opponent, in a combat of swords, but it wasn't always hand to hand, at times it was the host manipulating his chakra and his swords.

Sasuke was growing more irritated by the minute of the battle. Letting Suigetsu again battle the host, Sasuke remained back a bit accessing the situation but a shout from Suigetsu made him come back to the battle and he knew instantly what he should do. Gather his chakra he began to race forwards towards the host, and in his hand formed the technique he had learned from the copy ninja, Chidori. It crackled and made the noises of the thousand birds it was named after and when Sasuke was close enough Suigetsu maneuvered slightly letting Sasuke strike the host full on.

The host bent forwards with the impact, letting the technique force his stomach back and his torso forward, his mouth open in agape. Grabbing Suigetsu, Sasuke leaped back, letting Juugo into the fray, only the man missed the target as the host moved sideways before Juugo could get the full hit on the man. The team regrouped together and watched as the host stand shakily, hands on his knees. Soon the man stood back up and Sasuke's team prepared themselves for another attack.

"I know who you are." the host finally spoke, having a deep, rumbling voice. "and I know what your motive is, Akatsuki." Sasuke's red irises narrowed at the man's words. "I have heard of the other gathering of the other jinchuuriki, and that is why I won't allow myself to go with you alive."

Sasuke's brow furrowed at the man's words, but when a hidden knife was unsheathed, the man's words made sense, and with a horrifying realization, he watched as the moon took his knife, and put it towards his throat. Sasuke's throat clenched. If he failed to bring back the beast alive, for the extraction, what would happen to him? And even more so, what would happen to Sakura?

Seeing the man's arm begin to move to cut his throat, his legs finally moved forward. He let out a yell of no, and from behind he could tell his teammates eyes were upon him. He couldn't have the host died, because if the host died so did the beast, and he couldn't have that. But the distance between them was too great and within the first steps of his rushing forward the blade had already moved across the neck of the man, and let the red liquid come forth from beneath the cleanly cut skin. Sasuke watched with horror as the man collapsed to the ground, moaning lightly before falling silent and letting the blood create a pool around him.

Sasuke skidded to a stop before the man. Turning the man over he looked down at the man. He was barely alive but Sasuke knew it was over. Behind him he could hear his team running to meet up with him and with an impulsion Sasuke yelled for Karin to try and heal him with her chakra, but when Karin got even close to the man and the man's head, the host coughed sending speckles of blood up towards the girl's face, making her expression turn horrid.

Sasuke looked down at the now dead man, and knew that the situation had gone from bad to worse, on so many levels. Letting his hands drop to his already grounded knees, he let his head fall down, bangs covering his pale face.

"Sasuke, what do we do now?" Suigetsu asked, leaning over the dark haired man.  
"Take the body back." Sasuke mumbled.

"Why, the beast is dead. It can't live without its host." Suigetsu, said, not really wanting to have to lug the probably two hundred pounds the man weighed back down the mountains and back to the base that was a good four days away. But without hesitation after that, they did just as Sasuke told them and they began to carry the body back to the base.

* * *

They had entered Rock and were starting to scour the beginnings of the mountains that were nearest to them. They could all feel the heaviness that was starting to weigh upon them. They knew that Sakura was near, but they didn't know where she was. They could would have to go through the entire mountainside possibly to find out where she was located, and that took time and time was something they didn't have.

The first part of the searching the mountains were easy, but when they really got up into them, then it became a bigger hassle for them. Even with they skills they were still having to use their physical strength to lift themselves over the giant boulders that stood in their way.

It was nearing their second day of searching when Naruto finally whined enough to stop the entire group from searching.  
"This is going to take forever, Kakashi-sensei." the blond boy whined. "We are never going to find her at this rate." the boy flopped down to the ground taking up the indian sitting style, along with the elbows on knees and chin in the palm of his hands.

"He's right, sempai." Yamato had to agree with the blond. "We have been searching for two days and were are making little progress." the gray haired man nodded at Yamato's words.

"Well then, what do you suggest we do?" the man asked his teammates, who all stood or sat in silence.

"We don't know where she is at, and if since we don't know we just have to search."

"Maybe if we studied the geography is a little more, we could find areas that might be more prone to having the base area at." Sai inputted.

The others nodded in agreement and soon a map was out in front all four of them. Each took their turn pointing out things that would be necessary to have a base located at. In the end they had circled three main areas that could very well be the location of the Akatsuki base. They had decided that there would have to be some sort of water system near where they were located at, of course it was in the mountains, but the rockier, the better it would probably be better hidden, and then the possible coordinates. The farther away from the Borders of other countries, would also be a smart move.

Once deciding on the three areas, the four agreed to look at the nearest location first and within ten minutes of break and getting some of their energy back, the team found themselves invigorated and were speeding rapidly towards their first location.

* * *

Her eyes wandered over the note that had been sent from a village somewhere in Cloud. Heaving a small sigh, she was thanking Kami that the team was making some sort of progress, and that they now had a the most likely location area of where Sakura was at. A soft knock came at the door and with the right words the door opened and in walked her dark haired apprentice, and in her arms a pink pig. Both looked expectantly at the Godaime.

"They are heading towards Rock. That is where they believe that the Akatsuki base is located at." Tsunade told the other female, while the pig just looked at her.

"That means they should be close to her then. The message was sent a while ago." Shizune said optimistically, and Tsunade nodded.  
"With any luck, they will be back before the end of the month." Tsunade murmured, casting her eyes out the side windows that she could look out of.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Another little jolt of pain went through her back as she silently sent little ounces of healing chakra up to her back. It had been at least two days or so she thought. She was never sure of exactly what time or what day it was. But she was sure it had been at least two days, and surprisingly enough to her she was able to heal a good portion of her marred back. She knew there would be scars left over, but at the rate she was going, the scars would only be little white marks on her back, hardly visible unless a person were to look close enough.

But even though the wounds were healing, she still hadn't been able to wash away the little rivulets of blood that had caked her back by now. It felt grimy and gross under her torn shirt. She was also glad that though they had punished her they had tried to keep her modest, in some regards. Her shirt may have been tattered but it was still useful, even after the beating.

Crawling on her hands and knees she went towards the small area that was considered to be a sleeping area, and laying on her side on the small blanket that had been given her, she let her exhaustion overtake her and within moments she was asleep.

* * *

It took five days for the team of four plus the body of the host to get back to the stone structure imbedded in the hills. Sasuke wasn't quite sure what he was going to say or do when he had to tell Madara that the host had killed himself, killing the bijuu within him as well. All he knew was that Madara was going to be madder than hell and he hoped that maybe Sakura would be spared because it was his mistake.

He told his team to head towards an empty room with the body and not to let any of the Akatsuki members into the room, he wanted to deal with Madara by himself without the body with him. The team nodded and went towards an empty room to lock themselves into it. Sasuke watched his team walk away and then he himself made the drudging trip up to the room he was sure Madara would be in.

Opening the doors to the room, he saw the man he was supposed to see, sitting at the round table, apparently looking over several off white colored documents and scrolls. Letting out a silent sigh, he began his walk towards the opposite end of the table. Madara's head came up once Sasuke had stopped at the edge of the table.

"Where is the jinchuuriki?" Madara asked getting straight to the point. Sasuke's throat clenched and tightened, but swallowing kind of heavily he answered the older Uchiha.

"We brought back the body of the Jinchuuriki, but there were complications." he said in a roundabout manner.

"Complications? What complications?" Madara asked, totally forgetting the scrolls and documents before him.

"The man killed himself." there it was out, and oddly enough Sasuke felt relieved but at the same time, he didn't want to see what wrath would be coming his way, once the words registered into Madara's brain.

"Killed? You mean the jinchuuriki killed himself?" Madara seethed out at the younger Uchiha, and Sauske just nodded slowly. "Do you know what this means? It means that without the eight tails we can't fully accomplish our full goals." Madara had stood up and planted his hands firmly against the table, and at this Sasuke got angry.

"That is _your_ goal, not mine!" Sasuke seethed at the elder Uchiha. "don't include me in your little schemes." the older Uchiha narrowed his eyes at his younger counterpart. "you manipulate, and force people to get your way, but no longer, Madara." the younger was beyond furious at the moment.

"You can't just leave Sasuke, I have something that controls even you, and you can't deny it." Madara sneered at him, and Sasuke only grew angrier.

"Don't think you can control me." Sauske snarled at the man, before turning sharply on his heel and leaving the room.

After slamming the doors behind him, he replayed the whole conversation in his mind. He had just broken himself away from Madara, and just put Sakura's life in jeopardy. Making sure none of the other members were around him, he hurriedly walked away from the room. Going down the stairs and hallways, passing the room his team was holed up in for the time being, and heading down towards the cells, he kept a brisk pace.

He knew that something must have happened during the time he was gone, but he had to see her for himself and without someone watching him. It was unnerving when someone was watching him constantly. Walking down the final stairs he came to the cells that were down beneath the structure. Letting his chakra seep out trying to locate the pink haired female, he caught her chakra, even though it was terribly low.

Striding towards the room he made the appropriate hand signs to release the jutsu on the door, and with an almost violent push on the door, creaking it open, wide enough to see the entire space, his eyes focused on the wall in front of him, but darting his onyx orbs around to find the pink haired girl, he saw her laying on her side on a blanket. He strode towards her with every intention to grab her and begin interrogating her, but instead when he stood above her she shifted so she laid on her back, and his usually emotionless onyx eyes, widened as he saw the pale white scars that marred her back along with the brand that was imprinted on her back.

"Sakura." he didn't even know he had whispered her name, but he finally realized it when her own eyes fluttered open, and turning her head and sticking it up slightly, she beheld Sasuke standing above her.

"Sasuke, what are you doing here?" she asked quietly, and he couldn't answer her, just stare at her.

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**Hope that was good for you and not too boring. **

**update: next week hopefully **

**please review, and let me know what you think of the chapter, or what your favorite part was. **

**yoyo  
**


	10. Chapter 10: Leaving

**I got it out!!!! you have no idea what a relief this is. i have been like, i need to write and post the next chapter, but life is so dang busy. but yeah next chapter. **

**thanks for the reviews, alerts and faves. you guys rock. **

**Disclaimer: DNON: I am a freaking poor college student!!!!!**

**Enjoy the chapter.  
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**Chapter 10**

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They looked at each for a few moments, thoughts running rampant through Sasuke's head as he stared down, almost shocked at her appearance. He hadn't seen her so fragile looking since their genin days. The marks on her back were something he hadn't expected to see on her either, and he immediately wondered what he could have possibly done to make her have such marks on her back.

Madara had said she would only be harmed if he had done something wrong, but what _had _he done wrong? The questions kept bombarding his mind as he continued to just _stare_ down at her, and her pitiful form. He couldn't deny that he felt some kind of fury growing inside of him as he again let his eyes wander silently over her back and brand. The white marks were seemingly transparent from where he stood at.

Unconsciously and without feeling the tightening of muscles his hands kept clenching tighter and tighter forming white balls at his side. His throat clenched and he felt his jaw tighten. Without another word he turned sharply on his heel and left the cell, taking brisk steps up the stairs and towards his own quarters. He had to figure out what exactly was wrong with him before he made another move, and he was sure that if he did make a move, he would be making more enemies than he already had.

* * *

It was a shock for her to see him above her, calling her name out and then just looking at her, staring at her. She swore that somewhere in the depths of those onyx orbs that a flash of something akin to guilt had flashed across them. She had heard the conversation the first day they had seen each other again. She would be used against him, and if he did anything wrong, she would be punished. But he wasn't responsible for the white scars that were etched onto her back. It was her own fault.

But in a way it was nice for her to think that maybe Sasuke felt remorse for what he had seen. She was sure that he was asking the question of what he had done in his mind. Trying to figure just how he had angered Madara enough to punish her, and before she could have told him what had happened, he was gone and she was sure she wouldn't be seeing him for a while.

She had been half expecting him to come down at some point and time, if not to goad her into a frenzy of anger, but to question of her of how could she possibly be stupid enough to get herself landed in the Akatsuki base as a prisoner, to his ancestor. But him coming down out of the blue and with a look of almost pure hatred on his face, he was sure that the feelings weren't directed towards her, but then who would they be directed towards?

And why was he angry in the first place. He had most likely returned from whatever little errand that Madara had coerced him into doing because of her. Shifting her shoulders and back a little and moving into a small sitting position, she once again resumed her thoughts. She knew that if Sasuke had a reason to be mad at her it was because she was here and was basically blackmailing him do to the bidding of his ancient ancestor, whom she had already picked up, the two had a bad vibe with each other.

Running a hand through her greasy hair, and pulling at the small knots that had taken up residence in the locks, she looked heavily at the door, and felt a little anger towards the Uchiha. He had teased her with the open door, which was something she hadn't gotten since she had been put in this ridiculous cell after her attempt to free herself of this place. Leaning her head back against the stone wall, her eyes looked upwards into the darkness. Though she hated to admit it, right now all she could do was wait and hopefully a miracle would happen.

* * *

He had watched the younger generation walk or rather stalk out of the room, with a deadly aura, and really he didn't care, because right now, he was furious. He had given one order, to bring the eight tailed beast back alive, not _dead_. It was insulting to the Uchiha name that the youngest of the clan couldn't complete such an easy task.

He knew that it would be difficult for one to catch a tailed beast, all of them had been difficult in their own ways, but he would never have imagined that one would actually take its own life, thus ending the life of the beast sealed inside them. It was preposterous! His anger just grew just thinking about it. How could this happen?

The Akatsuki were already so close to their goal and now this had to happen. Their plans might still work without the eight tailed beast if they caught the nine tailed fox, but even then it wasn't for sure and he hated when things were so unsure. Letting his hand violently push away the papers and scrolls that had been in front of him, he planted both hands firmly on the table in front of him. He would have to keep his word. Looking up his eyes bled the red as he stared at the open doorway that Sasuke had left through. Tonight he would have to show Sasuke that no one disobeyed him or rather didn't accomplish his tasks.

* * *

Storming into his room, he knew exactly what he had done. By speaking up and out against Madara, he had just put Sakuras very existence at stake. He knew that Madara wouldn't go back against his word to hurt her if he didn't complete his tasks or missions. Dropping his kusanagi onto the bed he began to furiously pace his room.

It was bugging him, _annoying_ him that he seemed to care about the well being of Sakura. He had seen her only moments ago and he had seen the remnants of a brutal lashing on her back. She was lucky she was a medical ninja or else she would be bearing horrendous scars for the rest of her days. His throat tightened just thinking about that, the rest of her days. Right now he knew that if he didn't do something her days would be very short lived, or if they were prolonged, he didn't want to think of what Madara would do to her.

He found it frustrating that for once in his life, he was being concerned for Sakura. Sure when they had been on team seven, he had looked out for, but that was because she needed to be protected. She was too weak on her own to defend herself. But now, he knew that he had grown, that was clear seeing as how she was able to use medical ninjutsu and the fact that since the last time he had really seen her she had grown a backbone.

Right now he knew that even though she may have grown a backbone, but right now she was as defenseless as she used to be, especially against Madara. He knew it was time again for him to protect her, but there was something weird about thinking it. He had never really cared what happened to his teammates.

Stopping in his tracks, he thought back to when he had first seen Sakura here. Madara had told him she was his string, that could easily be cut. It was string that connected them to each other, maybe not literally but figuratively, they were connected, and he wondered if it was because all those years ago, she had been the one concerned for him, tried to stop him from leaving, and had shouted in the dead of the night, that she had loved him, with her whole heart.

Moving again he started for his closet and grabbing a small satchel he began to put small provisions in it. Throwing a black hakama in it as well as a pair of nin pants, as well as a spare cloak. Grabbing a few small parcels of food, as well some water, he tied it up and grabbing his kusangi went to his door, and poking his head around the door checked the hallways.

Silently he crept himself down to the lower levels where the cells were at. When he had come across an Akatsuki member, he had hidden his chakra and hidden in the shadows, until they were far enough a way from him he felt it safe enough to continue his trek. He would have generally would have preferred to have waited until the night, but with Madara on a rage, he was sure that if he would wait until evening it would be too late for both him and Sakura.

Finally reaching the cells he walked briskly towards her cell, the satchel swinging from his shoulder in a tick tock motion. Looking back over his shoulder he then proceeded to open her door, releasing the jutsu and opening the door as quietly as he could. Letting his body into the cell he closed the door until there was only a sliver of light. Looking down at where the girl was laying only a time before, she was now sitting against the wall, emerald orbs focused intently on his figure.

"Get up." he told her harshly yet softly.

"Why?" she countered not moving an inch. "So I can go get my beating for whatever you did wrong." his eyes narrowed at her.

"If that is what you want." He hissed. "I can arrange it by leaving." her eyes once slitted popped open in surprise a little.

"You're.....here....to help me?" She asked quietly and almost disbelievingly, and slowly he nodded his head. "why?" he felt the urge to strangle the girl. Here he was trying to help her and she was acting like a stubborn cow.

"Do you want to have Madara do whatever he has planned for you, or do you want to live?" He asked harshly. Her eyes were still transfixed on his, and slowly she began to lift herself from the ground.

He watched as she slowly tried to get up. It was almost pitiful watching it. Her back was hunched over, and her legs were slightly shaking due to not having used them in such a long time. Groaning silently he walked over to her and practically picked her up himself, causing a gasp of pain and a few swear words escape her lips. He knew she was cursing him. Groaning she tested herself on her legs. Looking at him, she silently awaited for his instructions.

"How did you escape the last time?" he asked out of the blue.

"My last cell, I dug a hole through a wall." she told him.

He knew which room she had been held in before and taking her elbow in his hand he led her out of the cell and towards the one she had been in. He knew that they couldn't just waltz out the way he had come down here, they had to use another route. Finding her old cell open he pushed the creaking door open, and saw the hole that was carved into the stone. Dragging her over to it, he started to motion for her to get into it. She began to crawl and when she again got her hips stuck, she turned red when she felt his hands on her thighs helping her through the hole.

Again finding the floor and then the small satchel she sat on the cold ground and waited expectantly for Sasuke's body to come through. And it did, after he did a little more digging around the area to get his body through the hole. Once he was through, and didn't land on her, he picked her and the satchel up. He knew which way the waterfall was, and instead of going towards the water source he took the other way, and led them through the mountain it seemed.

She had to have sworn that they had been walking for hours, the way her legs felt. She was pretty sure that her legs had completely turned to jello and that at any moment she was going to vomit and most likely pass out, all while trying to escape.

"Why?" She croaked, her throat raw from the bile that was trying to rise up out of her stomach. She felt him pause slightly in his step but continue moving.

"No one deserves what Madara would have done to you." He spoke to her. Her mind reflected on her last encounter with Madara, and the memory of him groping her did make the bile rise and soon she was on the floor retching before Sasuke, who was just looking down at her.

Breathing heavily, as she stared down at the now colored floor she let the gasps of air leave her body and then harshly draw in another. He said something to her before drawing her up again and this time lifted her onto his back and carried her.

He found it odd that if it were probably any other person, he wouldn't be helping them out this way. He could feel her warm puffs of breath against his collar bone and upper chest, as she had nestled her head into the crook of his neck, and quiet surprisingly he didn't mind it. When he had been with other woman just for a night, he couldn't stand when they would nestle themselves against him, yet with Sakura he didn't really mind it.

Shaking his head and the thoughts from his mind, he continued walking. He knew that within another ten minutes they would be out of the cave and into the mountains. There he would have to take a round about way to skirt around the estate and head towards the Fire Country, and then........Konoha.

He would have never have thought that he would really ever be returning to Konoha, even if it was to drop Sakura off. He had probably done enough evil doings for the council to ever accept him back, and a part of him was fine with it. He didn't need Konoha, but over the past years just being a rogue, were somehow unsatisfactory to him. He _almost _liked having a village, but if he were ever to return, certain things would have to be taken care of.

Stepping out of the cave, the two were met with the waning sun as it was starting to set on the western horizon. Checking around them with his chakra to see if Madara had caught onto them, he was relieved that he could sense no one around them or pursuing them for that matter. Stepping out of the cave he began his ascent up the rocks for a little way before headed west away from the rock house. Feeling it was safe enough to descend, he descended carefully yet with great speed, aware of the sleeping girl on his back.

Once he hit the base of the mountain, he looked back up knowing that he had finally cut himself off from Madara, but now he would have to wait to see what the repercussions would be for doing so. Knowing he needed to keep on traveling as fast as he could, he took to the trees and began his fast pace away from the abode and away from the clutches of Uchiha Madara..

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He was feeling slightly relaxed at the thoughts of what he was about to do to the cherry blossom that he had captured to get Sauske to behave himself, but since that didn't work, he would have to make a cleared example than a single brand mark.

His footsteps echoed the halls as he descended towards the cell where she was being held in. He had purposefully waited until night to do what he was going to do. He knew that the girl held some control over Sasuke's emotions. The first time Sasuke had seen her with the brand mark newly engrained on her skin, Sasuke's chakra had spiked high and he could sense the aura of hate and resentment towards him, but it had gotten him what he wanted. The younger Uchiha to follow his orders unceasingly.

But with this latest incident, Sasuke would need more of an awakening, and performing certain things at night, when the structure the quietest would surely make Sasuke know that he couldn't just fail his mission without consequence. It would drive the younger mad with rage and then because of the rage that Sasuke would hold for him, it would be easier to control him, because Madara would be in control. Whatever Madara wanted he would get, because Sasuke would know what he could and would do to the girl.

Reaching the bottom floor he began his steps towards the cell. A smirk came across his face. He was sure the girl wouldn't be very happy to see him, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was that Sasuke would learn his lesson. Reaching the cell, his eyes narrowed seeing that the door was slightly ajar. His mood considerably darkened, and when he opened the door and found no female in sight, his rage boiled over.

Banging the door open and then stalking back up the stairs he headed straight towards Sasuke's rooms. Slamming the door open, he noticed a little disarray to the room. Eyes narrowing even more, he found a set of clothes and several of the pieces of food gone from the room. Not even bothering to close the door he headed straight towards the room where Sasuke's team was hiding out at. Thrusting the doors open without a second thought, he found the three members instantly on their feet.

He couldn't believe how stupid Sasuke could be. The boy had just fed his team to the wolves, by disappearing and taking the girl with him. Noticing the dead host's body to the way side he glanced over the host before back to the other members. By this time, both Deidara and Kisame had made themselves known, and were standing right behind Madara as he stood, a deadly aura surrounding him.

"Where's Sasuke?" He heard one ask.

"Not here." Madara sniped at him. "Know where he is?" looking at the three he saw the dumb expressions on their faces.

"You mean Sasuke isn't here?" The red haired girl asked.

"If he was why would I be here?" The older Uchiha barked, making the team cower a little. "You three are incompetent. I don't even know why Sasuke would even want you on his team." Madara growled out at them, and again the three took a step back. Was the elder Uchiha that upset at the loss of the eight tailed beast?

For a few moments the room was deadly silent, the only thing they could hear was the harsh breathing of the elder Uchiha. Madara turned his back to the team of three and giving a silent order to the other two Akatsuki members, he walked away from the room, and didn't look back. He just needed to focus on finding Sasuke and dragging the boy back as well as the girl.

* * *

They were making good time, as they sped towards the first destination. It was a good hour past sunset and they knew they would be nearing the mountain. Deciding to make camp and then make the rest of the short trek tomorrow, the team set up a small camp site. The group didn't make a fire, as they didn't want to let anyone know they were there just in case there was something on the mountain.

The four men were sitting around in a circle each a blanket around their shoulders as the summer was giving way for autumn. They were whispering between themselves when they heard a branch snap and a soft curse. All rose to their feet and looked towards where the sound came from.  
"Whose there?" Questioned Yamato to the darkness of the woods. A set of rustling came and then a silhouette formed in the darkness. Cerulean eyes widened as they took in the appearance of the missing Uchiha and someone wrapped in a cloak on his back.

The young Uchiha gazed around the camp at the four men from Konoha. Two he was familiar with, while the other two he was only vaguely familiar with, only seeing them once, at Orochimaru's lair before he had killed the snake. His stance was relaxed but his body was on edge. Sure he knew he could trust them, but he just wasn't ready to trust them just yet, especially with his cargo.

"Sasuke?" Naruto whispered and the dark eyed man turned to the blond.

"Hn."

"Sasuke, what are you doing here?" Kakashi asked taking a step closer to the Uchiha, who in return took a step backwards, telling the older man to keep a distance.

"I need to go to Konoha." The Uchiha said slowly still taking in the four men and his surroundings.

Naruto was still struck dumb as he saw the man that everyone believed dead to be alive and well. The years Naruto could tell had been hard to the young Uchiha, and the boy of only eighteen seemed to look in his early twenties. But nevertheless, he didn't care how is friend and rival looked, he was just glad that his friend was _alive_. Naruto that about running to the Uchiha and embrace him, but seeing as how he had acted with Kakashi nearing him, he decided against it.

"Sasuke, what's on your back?" Naruto asked, making an indication to the load on his back. Sasuke looked at them warily before moving a hand to the supposed top of the person, and lifting the cloak's hood back, it revealed a head of candy pink that was nestled into the Uchiha's neck.

"Sakura!" Naruto breathed. In one night he had found both of his friends.

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**Hope that chapter was satisfying to an extent, because now i am completely pooped. which means i am now going to watch a movie on my computer, and help a classmate with an essay. **

**but there it is. what is going to happen next. i have an idea where it will go but haven't started writing it yet. **

**Update: i am again hoping next week. but work is getting a little crazy, i have party plans this friday, woohoo!!! and then of course the never ending cycle of homework from college classes. so hoping next week but you never know. **

**so please review, and let me know how you liked the chapter, your favorite part, whatever. **

**so review =)**

**yoyo  
**


	11. Chapter 11: Somewhere

**Here it is. i know a few days late but i got it out. thanks to listening to daddy yankee and his awesome spanish rap as well as talking to Tragedydawl as well. i persevered!!!!!**

**thanks to those of you who reviewed, faved and alerted. you are all awesome, and those who just read!!  
**

**this chapter may be a little short, but you will definitely like the end ;)**

**Disclaimer: DNON**

**Enjoy the chapter (sorry for the grammar errors. i wanted to post it before i go to class right now)  
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**Chapter 11**

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The anger was still coursing through him at the loss of the younger Uchiha and of course his leverage, but in any case he could use this to his advantage as well. Sasuke may have thought he was doing something to help out circumstances but Sasuke actually continued helping Madara by the minute. Sure the girl was gone as well as Sasuke, but he knew where they would go. It was way to predictable.

They would undoubtedly move towards Konoha and depending on where Sasuke was with his unsettled feelings it would depend on if the boy would end up staying in Konoha or if he would just drop the girl off and then leave to go somewhere by himself. Madara wasn't sure buy any way Sasuke would have to meet up with him again.

If he did leave the girl in Konoha, then when he went to attack the village, she would be there and unintentionally lure Sasuke back to the village. If Sasuke was already there then, it would just be easier. He would have Sasuke already there and if Sasuke showed resistance to him again, it would just result in the young Uchiha losing his life. But for now he would just bide his time and when things were settled out then he would make his move.

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Naruto wasn't sure of all he was feeling when Sasuke had removed the hood of the cloaked person on his back, but when he saw the vibrant pink hair, his knees felt weak. He had ecstatic to just see Sasuke but when Sakura was there as well, it made him twice as happy. They had found both of them, and to their knowledge both were safe and unharmed.

His heart jumped slightly when he saw Kakashi approach the two again and Sasuke took a step back, silently indicating, he didn't want anyone to close to them. This frustrated him as he watched as Sasuke kept a protective position between them and Sakura. Naruto's mind sped with thoughts of why Sasuke was being so _overprotective_ of the pink haired woman, when never before had the man shown such actions towards the pinkette.

Naruto stepped back and motioned for the rest of the team to do so as well. When the group of four had taken several steps back, only then did they see Sasuke's body relax and he made a move to move further into the clearing, though he still kept his distance from the other men. Naruto watched his dark eyes rove the area about making sure it was safe to approach any further into the clearing.

Naruto's eyes wandered to where Kakashi was standing. Kakashi watched the pair intently with a hardened coal grey eye. Kakashi was still unsure of what to make of the situation, but he knew the only thing that mattered was that Sakura was safe and that she was practically in their hold. Just by watching the Uchiha, he knew that they would have a hard time prying the girl from him, and maybe that wasn't a bad thing.

"What are you doing here Sasuke?" Kakashi asked in a cold tone, making the Uchiha look at him, with a hardness in his own eyes as well.

"None of your concern." The Uchiha stoically replied.

"When it concerns Sakura, it concerns us." Kakashi replied back to the Uchiha's statement. Sasuke narrowed his eyes and began to step back, replacing the cloak's hood over Sakura's head. Naruto's heart lurched as he saw the two disappearing back into the darkness.

"Sasuke, wait!" Naruto cried out, making the Uchiha stop. "Don't go." the blond man practically pleaded. Onyx orbs flickered around the area, again looking to make sure nothing was wrong.

"If you stay Sasuke, we won't do anything." Kakashi tried to appease the man, just to get the Uchiha to stay. Sasuke's orbs stayed narrowed but nodded slowly.

The four that were looking at the Uchiha and his cargo, silently sighed at their accomplishment and watched as the Uchiha made his way towards a larger tree, a good distance away from them. They watched as he carefully unloaded Sakura from his back and set her on her side, Kakashi catching that the Uchiha was careful around her back. Once the Uchiha got Sakura settled, he stood back up from crouching, and stood between her and the rest of the team of Konoha.

Sasuke was sure once, he had gotten Sakura off his back and that once he was a little ways from her they would probably try something to get her away from him and possibly try and catch him as well. He stood firmly in his position and carefully watched the four. As he predicted Kakashi made a move towards Sakura, and immediately Sasuke went on the defense. His posture stiffened and his back crouched slightly letting Kakashi know that if he wanted to come near Sakura that Kakashi would have to deal with him.

As soon as Kakashi saw the change in Sasuke's position and the aura around him come become more protective, did he stop, and looked at the Uchiha. He was sure now that something had gone on to make him this protective of the girl.

"Sasuke, I'm not going to do anything, just let me see her." Kakashi said lowly, trying to calm the Uchiha down a little. Sasuke wasn't sure if he should trust them just yet, but giving a silent indication letting Kakashi know that he could approach.

Kakashi walked towards the Uchiha and the girl behind him, waving back the others as he went towards them. Sasuke stepped sideways letting Kakashi past him, but turned his body so that he could clearly see both Kakashi and Sakura, as well as the rest of the Konoha team. His eyes scanned as Kakashi crouched next to the girl. Sasuke saw his hand move towards her still healing back and hissed something making Kakashi stop his hand in mid air.

The silver haired man turned so his good eye could clearly see Sasuke's form. He had caught the hisse words that Sasuke had told him. From what Sasuke had hissed he knew that something was wrong with the girl's back. Nodding to Sasuke, letting the Uchiha know he wasn't going to do anything, he let his hand continue its course towards the girl's back, and pushing the cloak aside gently and then looking at the tattered shirt, he knew that something was wrong.

Carefully rolling Sakura onto her stomach and careful to not wake the sleeping girl, he removed the cloak completely from the girl and looked at the tattered shirt, that was between him and whatever had happened to the girl. Carefully and gently removing parts of the shirt, the story became clear. The off white lines on the otherwise smooth back became distinct and very apparent, even in the dim lighting. Letting more of the back become exposed to his single eye, Kakashi's heart wrenched at the thought of what had happened to the girl.

Moving his hands more towards her shoulder blades he removed a rather large piece of tattered cloth, he immediately froze, and his breath hitched in his throat. His chest constricted and within a moment he had left the girl's side and had Sasuke by the collar, demanding to know what had happened.

"What the hell happened, Sasuke." He seethed to the Uchiha. The rest of the team looked confused. Kakashi had just been by the pinkette's side when all of the sudden he had Sasuke by the collar.

Their eyes strayed to the girl, and though they were at a far distance from her, they could see a dark mark on her shoulder, that had been uncovered. Ideas of what it might be went through their minds, but they didn't want to approach, just in case something were to happen to them for approaching.

"What happened Sasuke?" Kakashi hissed again, still holding the Uchiha by the collar. The Uchiha had a blank look on his face clearly telling Kakashi to back away and that he wasn't going to say anything. Frustrated Kakashi let go of the Uchiha and started to make his way back towards the girl, but was stopped when Sasuke was in front of him, stopping him from reaching the girl.

"Sasuke, back away from her." Kakashi ground out at the young Uchiha. The only thing Sasuke did was let his eyes bleed red, and anyone really knew what had happened, both Sasuke and Sakura were gone from the clearing.

Curses followed as the four looked around the clearing not spotting either of the two that had just been there. There was no sign of pink and definitely no sign of raven. Kakashi turned back to the group and could only see Naruto's growing anger at him.

"What did you do?!" Naruto yelped at him. "They were both here!" Naruto's anger was growing towards the silver haired man. "You just made them run away again."

Kakashi had nothing to say to the upset blond. It was basically his fault for making the Uchiha run again with Sakura with him. But just seeing what he saw, was enough to get extremely upset at the Uchiha. It now proved that Sasuke had been with or at least around Sakura, when she had been in her captivity with the Akatsuki. But the mark, if Sasuke had been around, why hadn't he stopped what had happened to her, from the brand to the lashes across her back? He ran a hand through his unruly silver locks and walked away from the area to clear his head.

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Sasuke watched from a distance at the clearing where he had just been. Sakura was once again settled against his back, cloak re-wrapped around her small body. Tilting his head, he looked at her, taking in her facial features. She looked exhausted, and why wouldn't she? Sasuke looked back towards the clearing. No doubt in the morning, they would start to track him, but by morning he would already be in Fire Country.

Giving one last glance at the Konoha team he turned his back towards them and took off, sprinting through the trees, getting as far away from the mountain estate as he possibly could. He knew that Madara would be planning something as well now. His plans wouldn't just stop because he was gone, as well as Sakura. He would keep plotting against Konoha.

That was Madara's main goal. It was Konoha, and Sasuke knew that the man wouldn't stop until he got some sort of revenge against the village, whether he won or lost the battle. He knew that the only reason Sakura was around was to make sure that his own loyalties stayed to Madara, whether they were forced or not, but now Sasuke had taken his own path and separated himself from Madara.

He stopped hours later, right before the sun broke over the eastern skies. Slowing down and finding a spot near a river he gently laid Sakura down before going to the stream, stripping himself of his hakama, his sandals and nin pants, only standing in his boxers before he waded into the stream to clean himself. He was sure that Sakura would still be asleep for a while. Even if she had gotten rest in that cell, it probably wasn't that restful.

While Sasuke was washing himself in the river, the body laying on the ground began to move around, the person inside the cloak was waking up. She was troubled at first wondering why she was so warm, and seemingly in a cocoon, that she couldn't get out of. Wriggling her arms around she was able to get her arms free of the fabric before unraveling the rest and began to stretch out on the ground.

Staring at the semi-light sky, the memories of what had happened came back to her slowly. How Sasuke had just burst into her cell, and then left only to return a little while later and helped her escape. They had been walking and talking when she had gone unconscious. So where exactly were they? Turning her head to the sound of noise, her face trickled red, as she saw a practically naked Sasuke standing in the water of the stream near them.

She couldn't help but stare at him as he washed himself. He no longer looked like that twelve year old boy she had known years ago. Now he looked like a man. He was lean but well muscled and his body visibly showed her what he had been through the past years. Though there were not tons there were enough scars to let her know that he had a rough life since leaving Konoha, and going on his own.

Sasuke felt someone looking at him and from the corner of his eye he glanced at where he had left Sakura and with an onyx orb took in how she was watching him from the ground. She had unraveled herself from the nest of blankets he had her in.

finishing up with bathing, he began to walk out of the water and onto the shore, grabbing his clothes as he continued towards her. He noticed her face had taken a red tint to it and could only inwardly smirk at her. He had seen a lot of women turn the color she was currently when he had been around them.

She had to tilt her head back up towards the sky to see his face as he stood over her. With a thump he dropped his clothes next to her body, continuing to let himself air dry. She made her eyes focus elsewhere besides on a very good looking Sasuke. The old fan girl in her was reappearing in her mind.

"Where are we?" she asked in a small voice, not really trusting herself to go any louder of fear of squeaking.

"Fire Country." he answered curtly. "just past the border." he finished looking down on her. He though she would still be laying on her stomach. "How is your back?" he asked, earning himself a questioning look.

"Fine. Nothing more than a dull throb now." she answered unconsciously moving her body.

"Hn." he replied taking up his hakama and shrugging it over his shoulders.

"Where are we going?" She asked, looking at him for a moment before turning back to the rapidly turning light sky.

"Konoha." It was a crisp reply, and the reply stunned her.

"What? Why?" she was confused. Wasn't he the one that left Konoha, and probably never wanted to go back.

"Things need to be resolved, and you need to see a doctor." the first one she wanted to argue with, but the second made her shut her mouth and she only nodded her head in agreement. It was a good idea for her to see a doctor, after everything she had been through.

She was almost positive that she was malnourished, underweight, dehydrated, and most likely there was probably a little bug in her system from the unsanitary conditions. She turned her head again as she heard Sasuke pull on his nin pants and then pull on his sandals. Turning her head back she looked up at him.

"Can you walk?" he asked. She didn't move for a second before nodding.

Using her arms she lifted her upper body first, immediately taking notice of her almost bare chest, except the bindings. Her arms scrambled to get the cloak re-wrapped around her, looking up barely she noticed that Sasuke had turned his head away from her, giving her some propriety, which she was grateful. She was certain that Sasuke had been with women, but she had never really gone _that_ far before. Almost a few times, but she hadn't quite gone all the way.

Getting the cloak back around her, she got herself up off the ground, with Sasuke's help. It had been a while, again, since she had used her legs and she wasn't sure that they would work exactly right. She could feel Sasuke right behind her, almost in a protective way, just making sure she wouldn't fall on her face.

Which she did after only taking about ten steps forward. Thankfully Sasuke was behind her, and even though she knew this was uncomfortable for him, she was grateful he was even helping her out. But another part was really glad because of the position they were in. Her back was pressed tightly against his half exposed chest, as his arms had wound themselves around her middle, their cheeks almost touching.

Her breathing she knew had deepened and his had almost stopped. They weren't even facing each other, but the effect of just _touching _like this was sending them both off. Realizing just what exactly was going on, Sakura tried to scramble away, which only resulted in another awkward position. Her sudden movements forward, caused them to lean forward enough to fall forward.

Sakura found herself looking up into the onyx orbs of one Uchiha Sasuke, laying flat on her back, with him nestled in between her legs and his forearms resting next to her. She could feel his breath on her own lips and unconsciously licked them, him raising an eyebrow in return. She had never been more embarrassed in her life, but she couldn't help but feel that something about this just felt _right_.

"Sasuke." she breathed up at him, her own jade orbs darting from his thundercloud orbs to his lips. Without even thinking about it, she arched her neck forwards along with her head and ghosted her lips against his, before pulling away. Settling her head back on the ground she could only look up at him. Thoughts of had she done something wrong floated through her head. But taking notice of Sasuke's own expression, she knew she hadn't.

The turmoil was vividly written in his eyes. Without thinking she shifted her body under his, rubbing her hips against his and he let out a hiss, which startled her. Her body stopped moving, and for a second she just looked up at him before mouthing go ahead. She wasn't sure what she had meant but she couldn't comprehend anything after saying that.

Without warning Sasuke's lips were covering her, teeth nibbling and biting her own lips trying to gain access to her cavern. Startled at a relatively hard nibble her lips parted and Sasuke's tongue dove into her mouth exploring and twisting with her own. His hands had left the ground and one was in her now tangled hair while the other was pulling her body closer to his and then wandering around her body.

Her arms wound around his neck. This was so spontaneous she didn't know what to think of it, but she really didn't care, she was making out with Uchiha Sasuke, and damn it felt good. He ground his hips against hers, returning the favor, only to cause her to moan wantingly into his mouth. Releasing her lips, his mouth assaulted her neck, licking, nibbling and sucking.

His mind was far gone, but when some sort of consciousness crept back into it, he stopped his actions, causing a whine to come from the female below him. He moved his body a little ways from hers. Jade eyes clouded with passion and lust now looked up at him, her arms still wrapped around his neck. He knew it couldn't continue or he might very well end up taking her right then and there and he knew that if he did the results would be disastrous.

Pulling himself away from the now disgruntled female he got to his feet quickly, letting her continue to lay dazed on the ground. Her head flopped back to the ground, raising a small mushroom of dust, and her jade eyes looked at the now light sky. A part of her wished he hadn't stopped and had taken her right there, but maybe it was a good thing he had had some self control and stopped what might have happened. Her mind was brought back when he spoke.

"C'mon, we need to get to Konoha."

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**Hope that was good for you, just a little exposure at some fluff. i know it is a little short but that's how life is sometimes. **

**Update: i will try in a week, but i have a crap load of homework to do, mostly essays though and such. so i will be writing about books and other things instead of fanfiction. and then there is a Halloween party next week for me as well. yeah!! so i will try for next week, but it will likely be two weeks. **

_Also i have a poll up on my profile. i am looking ahead in my writing already and i have three stories that i am deciding between so i have a poll for those who want to poll or i will be nice and give you the stories here._

**What We Need**

SASU/SAKU

Working on Chapter 3

Summary: Sasuke and Sakura have been married for 5 years and have a little boy. things have been great but now things aren't looking so good for them. they always seem to be fighting and arguing and soon sakura has had enough and kicks sasuke out. will their marriage and love survive or wilt like her name sake? AU

Rating: T

_**Untitled**_

SASU/SAKU

First chapter done

Summary: _I am farmer's daughter and a merchant's wife. My life has not always been this full of luxury and only until a few years ago my life was nothing to be proud of. _her life was no fairytale, as the only child of a farmer and a girl no less, her life was already doomed to be bad. but it only gets worse with slave traders and masters that are brutal in every way and only the son of a wealthy merchant could save her from her life. AU

Rating: T possibly M haven't quite decided, but most likely M

**One Night**

SASU/SAKU

Summary: It was probably the best night of her entire life, but who knew a one night stand could turn her life upside down in so many ways. (if you want more details before polling just let me know and i will send you some.)

Rating: T-M (Haven't quite decided what I should rate it at yet) AU

_so please poll !!!_

**So please review. let me know what you liked about the chapter, fave part or something. **

**please review**

**yoyo  
**


	12. Chapter 12: Tension

**So there is a reason this update is like only four days later and that is because after i posted the last chapter i looked and saw that today October 11 was the day that i first started writing fanfictions, so i decided because i am weird like that to post a chapter on my one year date of writing fanfictions. corny i know, but get over it.**

**so thanks to that you get an update**

**thanks to all of you who reviewed and alerted and faved. you are awesome. **

**Disclaimer:DNON**

**i am glad many of you liked the little fluff i put in there, so here is some more tension and what not so **

**enjoy the chapter  
**

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**Chapter 12**

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The team hadn't slept that night, rather they had just sat around in a circle, not really talking to each other at all. Naruto was brooding over the loss of Sasuke and Sakura and partially blamed Kakashi for the reason why the original team seven wasn't around, but that two of the members were off, who knows where. Yamato and Sai would look at each other before looking at their other two companions. They would then try and start a conversation which was quickly shot down, by a glare by either the blond or silver haired man.

Kakashi really wasn't paying attention to anything. His mind was still on what he had seen on Sakura's back. Her frame had been thin, thinner than it should have been and then there were the marks. He was livid once he recognized the marks of a whip that was taken to her tender flesh. It was a good thing she was a medic or she would still have the red welts still marring her back instead of pieces of whitened flesh. And then the brand.

The thought of course set him off, but not as much as what the brand was. The Akatsuki's insufferable cloud that marked their cloaks. He was glad though that it was an older wound and was probably first inflicted on her when she had first arrived, that only being about three weeks previous. It was hard to believe that it had been three weeks since Sakura had first disappeared and they thought she was back again, and then immediately gone.

The Uchiha was another subject that kept pushing its way into Kakashi's mind. He was at the least dumbfounded when the young Uchiha had walked through the night and the dark forest to appear before them. He knew Naruto was thrilled, but he was still surprised that the youngest Uchiha was alive. But now it just raised more questions than answers at this point. He was sure it couldn't have been Sasuke who had dropped that note, because if he had, what purpose would he have in actually _rescuing_ Sakura? So who could this other Uchiha be? Or was it even an Uchiha?

Kakashi shook his silver head and let his head fall into his awaiting hands. Right now he just wasn't sure of what was really going on. But he knew that tomorrow they would have to head back to Konoha, report their findings to Tsunade and then head back out to find out where the Uchiha was going with Skaura. He was positive that Tsunade wouldn't be happy to find out that he beloved apprentice had switched hands from the Akatsuki to a rogue ninja that used to dwell in the village. He really wasn't looking forward to telling her that.

But where would they have gone? Sasuke was most likely a wanted shinobi and now he would start to be tracked by Konoha Nin, just to get the pink haired girl back. But it brought back the same question of where would they go. Kakashi was certain that Sasuke wouldn't head towards Cloud, he had just been there, on a mission, to assassinate a man, no less.

Getting up from his sitting position, he felt the eyes of the others on him as he walked away from the small camp site. Walking a few yards into the forest he bit his finger and summoned the small brown pug again. The small dog gave off a yawn at being called so late at night, or rather early in the morning. Finishing the yawn, he turned his eyes to his master and awaited the orders, already seeing that the man was already distressed as it was.

"Paakun." the dog huffed. "Track Sakura."

"Isn't she with Akatsuki?" The pug asked back, cocking its head in confusion.

"Not any more." Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck. "She's now with Uchiha Sasuke." the pug widened an eye.

"Uchiha Sasuke, eh?" the pug murmured to himself. "I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks, report back in the morning." Kakashi said, waving the small dog off.

Kakashi didn't return immediately to his seat around the small circle rather he kept a distance and watched the group. He could clearly tell how hurt Naruto was. His friends had come and gone, though one was unconscious through the little talk, but Naruto was still overwhelmed. Kakashi could feel the sorrow that seemed to permeate from the boy, and Kakashi could understand. He could see the genin team he was on in the past. The three of them reminded him sometimes of the three genins he had taught, and that were now grown up.

Sighing, he knew he had to apologize to Naruto for acting rash. It was a stupid move to assault Sasuke and demand to know what had happened. He had violated that trust that Sasuke had put in him to even _approach_ the girl, and within just mere minutes he had turned the tables and acted violent against him. He was sure that Sasuke knew what had happened to Sakura, and what might have been in store for her if she had stayed. But it didn't explain Sasuke's actions fully. If he didn't care, he would have dumped Sakura and then would have been gone, but instead, he was protecting her, being defensive towards them, and frankly it was a little weird for him to display such emotions.

Hearing shuffling back at the camp site, he turned his head to see what was going on noting only that both Sai and Naruto were bedding down for the night. It was probably a good thing, at least for Naruto. It would allow him to cool down and think things through and in the morning when it was light, they would talk, and then head back towards Konoha.

* * *

He was angry at the fact that his blood was still bubbling from his _encounter_ with Sakura, if he could call it that. He hadn't even known she would do something as reach up and brush her _soft_ lips against his, and once she did, he could immediately feel blood rush down to his nether regions and an impulse take over him, and that _never happened_. He was glad that he had been able to get some of that out of his system as he had roughly and possessively kissed her.

He wasn't at all disappointed and the kiss had satiated whatever he had started to feel for the girl, who was now walking several paces in front of him. They were just walking right now, letting Sakura get used to using and stretching her leg muscles, and luckily for him she hadn't had another little spill or he didn't know if he would or could control himself next time, _and that frustrated him._

She was a silly little pink haired kunoichi, that had learned medical ninjutsu in his absence. She shouldn't be making him have physical desires towards her, though with the way she was walking at the moment, she was making it a little difficult with the way her hips were swaying and her derriere waving around for his eyes to see. He wanted to smack himself for thinking such thoughts, but he knew at the same time the physical wants were completely natural, _just not with a former teammate._

Going another few minutes, he finally noticed that Sakura had slowed her pace considerably and her direction started to head towards a tree, where once reaching it she turned so her back was against the trunk and leaned against it, letting out a deep sigh, letting her head fall. He could tell just by looking at her she was malnourished and dehydrated, and that the water he had would not be sufficient enough to get her back up to par. She would need other liquids to help with that as well.

After watching her lean against the tree, he too made his way towards her. Getting closer to her, he could see that she was breathing heavily, and that a fine sheet of sweat was over her skin. Her eyes were closed and he could see a look of concentration on her face, and he was sure it wasn't because she was trying to figure something out.

Knowing that they were within about six hours of Konoha by tree and almost ten by foot, he walked the rest of the way over to her, and when he had gotten close enough, one of her eyes opened and then once she registered who it was, opened both of the orbs to take him him. He could visibly see her body stiffen at his closeness.

Ever since their kiss that morning, they had kept a distance away from each other, letting each other feel comfortable around the other, without invading into the others personal space. This was the first time since the kiss that they had been this close to each other, and Sakura could feel the tension between them. It was a tension of uncertainty and if she had to admit it there was even sexual tension between them and she was sure that with Uchiha Sasuke there would never be _any_ sexual tension.

"Sasuke." she breathed out and cursed herself for making it sound maybe just a little needy.

"We're almost to Konoha." He stated and she nodded, he was seemingly unaffected by the way she had said his name. "We can get there by night.......... if I carry you."

At the words 'carry you' Sakura was sure she had stopped breathing. Oh hell. She couldn't stand being five feet away from him right now, what would happen if they were, _right next to each other? _ And not just right next to each other, _holding onto each other._ She was sure her heart rate had gone off the charts and just by looking at him, she was sure he was most likely feeling the exact same way. Sakura wasn't exactly sure what she was going to say and for a moment she was sure she had gaped like a fish, but now she was just staring at him. They continued to look at each other, neither sure of what to say next.

Sasuke hated to admit it, but when he had uttered the words, that he would carry her to make better time, he felt the atmosphere change from an unpleasant feeling to.......sexual tension. It was quite weird as how the atmosphere changed to _that_, but he guessed it had to do with that morning. Sending a look to her, he could tell she was contemplating the offer, and even from his little distance, he could sense that her heart rate was probably going way too fast, and the fact that she was just gaping at him and not doing anything.

"Well?" he asked not wanting to wait any more for her answer, and to this her eyebrows quirked in disbelief, and a part of him knew that she was about to go on a tangent about something. It was how she was.

"Well? That's all you can say. What you are suggesting would mean _touching _you." he thought that word had come out almost with disdain, but he let her continue. "Did you forget this morning? I mean we _only _made out passionately." she half expected him to shrug his shoulders or say 'hn', but he didn't. "I mean don't you _feel_ it?"

"What?" it was probably the wrong choice of a word but oh well.

"What? Are you serious. You can't feel the _tension _that is between us right now?" she looked startled at him.

How could she feel it and he couldn't? Oh that's right, he was an _Uchiha_, and he apparently doesn't feel the _sexual tension _that was permeating the area between and around them. And what bothered her the most was that Sasuke was seemingly disregarding the tension that was clearly around them. It bothered her but also made her angry, was this morning just a fling kiss, or just a hint of lust that maybe each other had for the other.

"What about this morning?" she asked him, keeping eye contact with the Uchiha. "What was this morning about?" it was his turn to quirk his eyebrows in confusion.

What was that morning, he really didn't even want to think about. It was a subject he kind of wanted to stay away from. Sure, he wouldn't deny that it hadn't felt good to do that, but at the same time it was a little awkward seeing as how they were teammates. But wasn't it purely for just a satisfaction for them. It made some of his wanton energy be released and she could now say she had kissed the Uchiha Sasuke. Wasn't that all that this morning was.

"What was it?" He questioned back wanting to know how she had viewed the morning's events. She gaped at him and inside she was boiling. It meant nothing to him! Her own viridian orbs narrowed as she pushed herself off the trunk of the tree. "You little prick." she seethed at him. " I won't be used for your own little libido, whenever you need to let go of some energy." she was pointing at him now.

"You enjoyed it though." He smirked back at her.

Her eye twitched. So what if she had enjoyed it. Now she could say that she had kissed Uchiha Sasuke and that he was an amazing kisser. Now she had all rights to brag to the pig about kissing Sasuke. But at the same time that might now be the smartest move either. Sasuke was a missing nin of Konoha. She might lose some of her credibility if she were to spout off that she had kissed him.

"So?" she retorted, and within a second she was pinned up against the trunk of the again, arms pinned to her sides and her body being pressed into by the one and only Uchiha Sasuke.

"You want more." he let out with huskiness in his voice. "Don't you." he whispered, his breath falling against her ear and neck, causing a shudder to rack through her body.

"So....what if I do?" she asked tilting her head back slightly, trying to get a better look at him, and without warning he ground his hips into her, making her let out a small moan. Her hands itched to grab onto his clothes and pull him closer, but her hands unfortunately were trapped by said mans own body.

"What do you want?" he breathed again, causing goosebumps to appear on her skin.

He had to suppress the smirk that was threatening to make its way onto his face. It was so very easy to get her turned on. He was fully coherent of what he was doing and he was sure that she was already partially drugged up just by him. Her clear thinking was gone and instead was replaced by the wanton need that she had for him at that very moment. It amused him greatly to no end. After all these years she was still putty in his hands. Releasing her arms, he wanted to see how she would react and immediately when she felt the loosened grip her hands fisted themselves into his shirt, tugging him closer than he already was.

"Kiss me." she whispered hoarsely.

"Why?" he mocked her, watching as she tried to stretch her neck forward to place her lips near or onto his.

"just do it." she whispered harshly and without really thinking about it he did.

His lips slanted over hers and roughly nipped at her lips bruising them as well as making her open her mouth, so he could dominate the kiss. Theirs tongue fought with each other as Sakura's hands gripped onto the Uchiha's hakama with her hands, while his had become fisted into her hair.

He wasn't sure as to why he was exactly kissing her again, but all he knew was that it felt good too, better than any woman he had ever been with. There was just something about her, but right now he didn't really care about that, only to _feel _her a little bit more.

She didn't know why she has to kiss him, to feel his mouth on hers, but she just _had to_. None of the other men she had dated or tried to do it with, were nowhere near the level that Sasuke was at, or had taken to her. Just a brush of his breath over her neck made her hot, and in need for him. It was total loss of control and for a moment it frightened her, that she was slowly losing herself to a man that had once been her crush, but was now a possible enemy to her and her village, but right now those thoughts were far gone.

Without having his usual rational mind, he moved his entangled hands out of the pink locks and down her sides towards her thighs, and without warning her she suddenly felt him lift her up farther against the trunk of the tree, forcing her legs to wrap around his waist, and her hands moved from his shirt to grip his face. For a moment her mind went on alert. What was exactly going on here? One second they were just _standing_ making out against a tree and now he is _holding_ her against the tree making out with her.

She wouldn't deny that _this _didn't feel good, because it was, but they needed to stop and though she may have been a little reluctant about stopping while they were just kissing, when she felt one of his hands make its way towards her bottom, and grasp it firmly, she knew that they had to stop. Tearing her mouth from his, she could hear her own laborious breathing, and she could feel his lips move across her jaw and then onto her neck.

"Sa...Sasuke." she breathed out with a little difficulty, and all he did was hn, her guessing that he didn't really want to stop. "we....need to ...stop." she had to cut off a moan, that he was trying to evoke from her.

He stopped whatever he was doing when she told him that they needed to stop and raised his head to look at her, and raised an eyebrow. She could hardly blame him, she had been the one that had _demanded_ that he kiss her. Unwrapping her legs from around his waist, was her silent notification that she wanted down, and willingly he obliged, moving his body away from hers just enough to let her feet plant themselves on the ground.

"We should start heading back to Konoha again." she said removing her hands from his face and replacing them on his chest, giving a little push backwards to let him know that he needed to step back a little.

By this time Sasuke was definitely confused but he didn't show it. The only reason she had probably wanted to stop was because somewhere he had crossed her borders of decency or something of the like. But what? She had been fine until he had moved his hand towards her...... Sasuke realized that was what had probably set her off. But it only made him wonder if Madara had _touched_ her while he had been away. He was sure Madara hadn't raped her, or else she wouldn't be that willing to make out with him so fully. But maybe the older Uchiha had touched her, inappropriately to make her more sensitive than just kissing.

He nodded and stepped farther away from her, letting her have the space she needed, but both could again feel the sexual tension start to fill the space again. Sakura had to curse in her mind when she felt the tension. It was the tension in the first place that had led them to make out against a tree.

"You're right." Sasuke stated looking at her while she straightened and then played with her shirt. "We can get there by nightfall if you let me carry you." Sasuke shifted his weight lightly, and she looked up at him, and nodded slowly.

* * *

The team had run across Pakkun mid-morning. The pug had been waiting on a tree branch where the team would be coming across. The team of four gathered around the small brown dog as he relayed his findings to the team. Apparently Sasuke and Sakura had been near a stream before heading farther into the Fire Country.

The pug conveniently left out that one area of the _ground _had been strongly covered with their smells combined, but already feeling the tension between the team he had left it out, not wanting to cause more of a scene and more anger than what was already coursing through the team, than there already was. Pausing the pug let them know that they seemed to maybe traveling in the direction of Konoha, but couldn't be sure.

The team was now near the Fire Border but they would be a good half a day or more behind the Uchiha, if the Uchiha and Sakura were already deep within the Fire Country. Kakashi could guess that Sasuke was most likely heading back towards Konoha for Sakura's sake, if the Uchiha had a conscience, but if he was going to deliver Sakura to Konoha, he would let her go somewhere near the village. They wouldn't know really anything until they arrived in Konoha to see if Sasuke was really there or not.

Thanking the small pug and promising a reward later the dog disappeared in a small puff of smoke, while the team continued to look at the area that pug had occupied while talking to them. They were already headed back to Konoha, but now they really had an incentive to get to the village as soon as humanly possible.

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The clock on the light tan colored was read quarter past ten at night. The moon was out, but not full. Eyes looked out over the slumbering village. The bars would be alive at this time, and a part of her wished she could be at one too, but looking over her should at the desk, the paperwork was calling to her, and also the threats that her assistant gave her as well, were in the air.

Turning away from the village picture, she scooted the chair clear up to the desk's edge and took the pen in her hand to start signing the 'need signing' pile of papers and scrolls that had accumulated over the past few days. She didn't really feel like doing this, but as part of the role of Hokage, _she had too_. It drove her insane sometimes and she was glad that she had her bottle of sake, and sometimes hidden bottle of sake to help her keep her sanity, not her soberness.

About to lean down to start into the pile of papers and scrolls, her body stopped moving and opening her senses, she could tell she wasn't alone in the semi-lit room. Dark shadows covered most of the room, and she was sure that hiding in those shadows was someone or something. Setting down her pen and moving the chair back slightly, she placed the palms of her hands on the edge of the desk, getting ready for anything to happen.

"I know you are there." she spoke loudly and clearly. "Come out." watching the shadows her eyes finally caught something stir against one of the walls and slowly a body started to form and then another behind the first.

Squinting her eyes to see better, she began to make out the person clearly and all she could do when she recognized the person was silently stare at the man that hadn't stepped foot in the village for years. Looking past his shoulder, her gaze caught sight of the other person and the air that she had been holding for the person she had recognized whooshed out of her as she recognized the second person.

"Well, I never." she murmured. "What brings you here with my apprentice Uchiha?"

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**Hope that was a good chapter and it was long so there you go. **

**Update : don't expect an update until at least next monday. i kind of procrastinated on some homework to get this out. **

as for the polling there is tie for the UNTITLED story and ONE NIGHT with WHAT WE NEED just right behind so here are the summaries again, and continue to poll and let me know

**What We Need**

SASU/SAKU

Working on Chapter 3

Summary: Sasuke and Sakura have been married for 5 years and have a little boy. things have been great but now things aren't looking so good for them. they always seem to be fighting and arguing and soon sakura has had enough and kicks sasuke out. will their marriage and love survive or wilt like her name sake? AU

Rating: T

_**Untitled**_

SASU/SAKU

First chapter done

Summary: _I am farmer's daughter and a merchant's wife. My life has not always been this full of luxury and only until a few years ago my life was nothing to be proud of. _her life was no fairytale, as the only child of a farmer and a girl no less, her life was already doomed to be bad. but it only gets worse with slave traders and masters that are brutal in every way and only the son of a wealthy merchant could save her from her life. AU

Rating: T possibly M haven't quite decided, but most likely M

**One Night**

Sasu/saku

Summary: It was probably the best night of her entire life, but who knew a one night stand could turn her life upside down in so many ways.

Rating: T-M (Haven't quite decided what I should rate it at yet) AU _if you want more details just let me know and i can give them out to you._

**so please review and let me know how you liked the your favorite part was etc, etc**

**yoyo  
**


	13. Chapter 13: Words and Decisions

**Finally, here is the chapter. life is intensely crazy which is being explained at the end of the chapter, so read it because it is in the update section. **

**thanks for all the reviews, faves, and alerts, and for just reading the story.**

**_Question that came up_**

**_How old are they?_**

I think it was briefly mentioned in one of the chapters what age they are but for reference, they are about 18 years old.

**Disclaimer: DNON**

**ENjoy the chapter!!  
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**Chapter 13**

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She wasn't exactly what to say. A part of her wanted to take her apprentice into her arms and never let go, while another part wanted to pound the shit out of the Uchiha for being in her room, but the urge was placated by the fact that her apprentice was right behind him and for some reason there was no tension of her being afraid of him, rather there was more of a sexual tension about them, and that made her wonder.

Her eyes scanned them both over. The Uchiha looked to be in good health and looked strong, but her apprentice was another matter. She looked weak and gaunt, and she was sure just looking at her that the girl was probably going to be fainting sometime in the near future. Raising her eyebrows at them she leaned back in her chair and studied them some more.

"This is a surprise." the Godaime told them after a few moments of silence after her last words. "I'm sure there is a reasonable explanation for all of this." she waved her hand around indicating the them. "but I think we should get you, Sakura, to the hospital."

That definitely wasn't what she was expecting her shishou to say right off the bat. She was sure the busty blond would throw a fit and try to strangle the Uchiha, not be like 'oh hey'. Sakura had to resist the urge to sweat drop but her mentor was right in that she needed to get to a hospital soon. She was already starting to feel fatigued and knew that she was going to pass out pretty soon.

Sasuke stared at the blond with void emotionless black orbs. He was sure that he was going to get a beating and a yelling at by the the blond, but nothing came, except for her surprise and then immediate concern for Sakura, which he knew was understandable. He could feel the weakened kunoichi and herself become weaker by the passing second. He could only nod when the Godaime had said that Sakura needed to get to the hospital, and it was a good thing he turned around when he did, or he wouldn't have known the pink haired girl had passed out until they had heard a thud on the floor, but luckily he was able to catch her before she hit.

Picking her up, he nodded to the Godaime to lead the way to the hospital. He could see that there was uncertainty and certainly mistrust in her eyes as, as she looked over them. It didn't surprise him either, he expected it, and he would have been alarmed if she hadn't of looked at them they way she was now. Hopefully she couldn't tell that they had been somewhat intimate with each other, only making out and a little touching, but still.

The amber eyed woman walked out from behind the desk and after touching Sakura's head in a motherly fashion, she tilted her head towards the door letting the Uchiha know to follow her. They would have to take a roundabout way to get to the hospital, as she didn't want the whole of the village knowing that Uchiha Sasuke was back along with her apprentice. They carefully skirted around areas and finally ended at the back entrance of the hospital, which Tsunade led him through carrying Sakura with him. Going up the back set of stairs as well until they hit a level that wasn't used as much as the other floors.

The walked down the dimly lit hallway, though the white walls seemed to practically glow in the dark. The Hokage opened up a door and motioned for the two inside before going in herself and closing as well as locking the door. When she turned around she could see the Uchiha gently laying her apprentice on her back. The way the Uchiha did it, instantly made her suspicious. Something had happened.

Walking over to the sleeping girl, heels clacking against the tiled floor she made a move to push the Uchiha out of the way but he side stepped her and backed into a corner by his own volition. Amber eyes watched the figure carefully, he was now again half shrouded in the shadows. Forgetting about the Uchiha for the time being, she began to carefully examine her apprentice. The poor girl, was badly malnourished, dehydrated, had at least two cracked ribs, and the bruising and hemorrhaging went on from there. Finally coming back to the fact that the Uchiha had placed her down so carefully on her back had made her curious. Making the movements to turn her apprentice onto her side, she was stopped by a voice.

"Don't." It was cold and passive, yet it held authority. How dare this brat use authority against her.

"And why not?" she hissed at him.

"You won't like what you see." it was a simple phrase, but it basically gave her all the information she needed.

"Nevertheless, I still need to take a look. I can heal what she hasn't been able to." ignoring the Uchiha's grunts of disapproval, she carefully work the young girl onto her stomach.

The black cloth of the cloak was still covering her back and carefully molding chakra into her hand she cut the cloth away. Reaching the lower back of the girl, she let the chakra disappear and slowly she let her hands peel away the cloth away along with parts of the girl's shirt.

Sasuke watched as the Godaime peeled away the cloth and as soon he knew that the woman had seen what was marring the girl's back, her expression changed to one that was similar to Kakashi's expression. The look of anger passed though, and she didn't attack him, hell, she didn't even say anything to him, which he was kind of grateful.

"My kami. What did they do to you?" The woman asked down to the body below her. She reached her hand out and ran her fingers along the ghastly white puffed lines that indicated scarred tissue, and then Sasuke could see the hand move up towards the brand. "those.....those bastards." Tsunade practically choked out. "they will pay for this." her head snapped up towards Sasuke. "and you didn't do _anything_?" she asked enraged to the Uchiha, who could only blankly stare at her.

"We need to talk." Was all the Uchiha said.

"Then start talking." Tsunade grounded out.

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They had run non stop to the village once finding out that was where Sasuke and Sakura were heading. They approached the gates at midday. They were sure that if Sasuke had been there, then Sakura would also be in Konoha. They ran through the gates without stopping making the gate guards wonder what was so important to not slow down. They reached the Tower in record time and vaulted up the stairs two at a time, and then ran towards the Hokage's Office, once inside the right hallway.

Without knocking the blond, who was in front, barreled into the room, surprising a very shocked looking Shizune, who had been cleaning up, but now had to clean up the papers she had thrown in the air when the door had been flung open.  
"Where's baa-chan?" the blond furiously demanded, not even taking time to breathe properly.

"She's taking care of a patient at the hospital. She said she wouldn't be back for a few more hours." The black haired assistant told them, making them groan.

Then a thought struck Kakashi. What if the patient was Sakura? If Sasuke had gotten here before them, he would have been at least twelve hour ahead of then, putting the two of them here somewhere around midnight last night. She could very well be looking after Sakura.

"Thanks Shizune, we'll come back later." Kakashi said tugging the outraged blond out of the room, as well as signaling the others to follow him out as well. Once outside the room the blond let the silver haired man have it.

"Kakashi-sensei!" he bellowed at the man before Kakashi told him to shut up.

"We're going to the hospital." Kakashi told them, earning curious looks from the others. "If Sasuke came here then they would have gotten here last night, which means that _patient_ could very well be Sakura. Now we can't just ask straight out, we are going to have to find her." The others nodded understanding the logic of what Kakahsi said.

The four made their way towards the hospital and just waltzed in before heading up the stairs and going up several flights before coming out into an empty hallway. Each searched for chakra signatures that could be close to that of Sasuke, Sakura, and or Tsunade. As soon as one of them felt something they each hid their own signatures and moved towards the source of where they had felt something. Coming closer to a certain door, they could hear voices inside, one was recognizable as Tsunade's, while the other was slightly muffled. Knowing they were at the right place, they quickly set up around the door before barging into the room.

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Thunderstorm orbs watched as the sannin helped to heal the pink haired girl injuries. They had talked well into the morning, him telling her everything he knew about the Uchiha Massacre, as well as his demands for compensation. He also informed the Godaime of what he knew of Sakura's capture and imprisonment and openly told her that Uchiha Madara was still alive and had plans against the village. They had stopped talking, and decided to let everything sink in before they did anything else. Tsunade only hooked Sakura up to several IV's before leaving the room with the pinkette and the Uchiha inside.

It was late morning when Tsunade had returned to the room, to start healing Sakura. Sasuke had informed her that Sakura had not awoken in the night. Tsunade had just glanced at the Uchiha before getting to work healing the girl. The internal damage was extensive, and Tsunade didn't know how the girl was breathing regularly. Surely she should be coughing up a little blood? Starting with the ribs and then moving onto the hemorrhaging, Tsunade did her work.

They were both watching the younger medic rest, while they quietly spoke to one another, when a loud bang happened and both turned immediately towards the door Sasuke immediately going on the defensive. His eyes had bled red and his hand was close to his weapon. He backed away from the group, as the team of four that he had come across on his way back to Konoha, entered into the room.

As soon as the four had completely entered the room and the door was re-shut, the tension in the room was unnerving. It permeated everything and everyone knew that one wrong word or movement would send someone off and make them do something stupid. Tsunade watched as the team she had sent out stared aggressively at Sasuke, while said man was on high defense. His left hand was on the hilt of his sword and his back was crouched. She knew that the Uchiha wouldn't kid around if one of them attacked or made a move against him.

Tsunade moved between the two groups not wanting something to happen and make one of them snap. Her back faced Sasuke while her eyes glared at the four in front of her. Though she knew that they had concluded that she would most likely be with Sakura, she hadn't expected them to actually come to the hospital seeking her out. She told Shizune she would be back later to deal with other matters, she did not want to deal with them in a hospital room.

"What do you think you four are doing here?" She growled at them, making them cower just slightly. "I told Shizune to tell people I would be back later."

"We wanted to see if Sakura-chan was here." Naruto let out, eyes moving to and from the honey haired woman and the raven haired Uchiha.

"That is still no reason to interrupt me and burst into the room." she let out at them, letting them know just how mad she really was at them. "You should have listened to Shizune, now get out!" she yelped at them, all of them stepping back a step or two. They really didn't want to get even further on the woman's angry side. "Wait for me in my office, and then we can talk. Now go!" she viciously pointed a the door and soon the room was again vacant except for the original three.

Turning to Sasuke, she could see that though he had relaxed to a point he was still uptight about things. His hand had moved away from the hilt of his sword and his back was crouched anymore, but he stood in a stance that told her that he was still wary of the things going on around him. Turning from him back to Sakura she began to check the other medic's vitals.

"What are you planning on doing now?" Tsunade asked the calming Uchiha. Though she couldn't see him, she figured he was giving her a lethal look.

"I have told you my demands." he spoke icily towards her, and she sighed.

"What you want and what the village needs are different. I can see why you want retribution, but sometimes it cannot come in the form you may want it to come in." The busty blond spoke to him, continuing to check on the pink haired girl's vitals.

Sasuke stood silently near a wall away from the blond medic. His eyes calculating everything, that he was able to look at. Within five minutes the elder medic finished writing down her findings and telling him to stay in the room, until they could talk to more, she left the room, to undoubtedly make her way back to the Tower to deal with the rambunctious four that had invaded the room without permission.

Letting the woman walk out of the room, he looked back at the pink haired medic. He knew exactly what he was going to do now. If the Hokage couldn't help him, then he would just have to settle matters himself. He wouldn't stay in a village where the village was run by a bunch of hypocritical fools. So much for a just village, he may have wanted all three of the Elders dead, but he would settle for just one, but Tsunade wouldn't go for it, no matter how she felt about the situation as well.

Looking over the room, he was sure no one was secretly watching, him and walking stiffly towards the bed he stopped at the edge and looked down at the girl laying there. She would probably come to soon, but her body needed the rest, he knew that. She would probably be disappointed when she awoke and he wouldn't be there, but he had to leave. If no justice was to be served, he didn't want to be here.

Letting his hand raise to her cheek he let his fingertips touch the smooth skin of her cheek. He could still vividly remember the kisses and the passion that had been between them, but he didn't need that passion to distract him. He didn't need _her _to distract him anymore.

Letting his fingers fall away from her face, he again looked around the room, before moving towards the window and silently opening it and looking around discreetly he jumped out of the window and within ten minutes, due to evasion of villagers and other shinobi he was safely outside the gates. He really didn't feel anything, but looking at the village from a far tree branch, he knew he would probably have to return at some time, because of Madara. He knew the older Uchiha would come and when the older Uchiha did, Sasuke would be there.

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Tsunade was in a rage when she got back to her office to find the four that had burst not so inconspicuously into the room, where it was supposed to be private, were sitting or standing casually. The casualness of how the four were acting was irritating. They knew they were in trouble for going against orders of waiting for her to return to the office, but no they had to come and almost take a door down!

Their backs straightened slightly when she walked in and walked briskly towards her desk sitting down with a small plop and making sure that all four knew that they were not in very good graces with her at the particular moment. She heard a small gulp and it gave her inward satisfaction, at least they know realized what kind of trouble they were in. just about to start her lecture at the four, the door flew open and a chunin came in out of breath.

"Tsunade-sama, we just saw Uchiha Sasuke outside the village, heading in another direction." The chunin let out. Tsunade's jaw clenched.

"Damn you Uchiha." She seethed out.

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**I apologize for the shortness of the chapter. but i just wanted to get it out, and not make you wait for it for a little while longer. **

**so things are looking interesting, and now where is it going to go? well you will have to wait for the next chapter.**

**Update: No idea. i am not even going to say a possible date, because right now life is a pain in the rear end. i have a lot of homework right now, and then work a big thing is going on, and then my personal life just a little more interesting. so what can i say, life is hectic.**

for the polls it is a tie for all of them so, i have decided that i am going to wait on posting **what we need** and just do either **one night **or **Untitled **so that is the new poll and here are the summaries.

_**Untitled**_

SASU/SAKU

Two Chapters done.

Summary: _I am farmer's daughter and a merchant's wife. My life has not always been this full of luxury and only until a few years ago my life was nothing to be proud of. _her life was no fairytale, as the only child of a farmer and a girl no less, her life was already doomed to be bad. but it only gets worse with slave traders and masters that are brutal in every way and only the son of a wealthy merchant could save her from her life. AU

Rating: M

**One Night**

Sasu/saku

First Chapter Completed

Summary: It was probably the best night of her entire life, but who knew a one night stand could turn her life upside down in so many ways.

_just letting you know in this story, sasuke and sakura don't know each other. _

Rating: M AU

**So please poll again, and let me know.**

**and now i give you the chance to review the chapter. what did you like or what was your favorite parts or just your thoughts in general**

**yoyo  
**


	14. Chapter 14: One's self

**I am really sorry for the delay. I will explain at the bottom of the chapter, because i have kept you waiting long enough.**

**Thanks for all the reviews. if i didn't get back to you, i am sorry. life is crazy**

**Disclaimer: DNON**

**Enjoy the chapter. sorry for the shortness, i just wanted to get it up, but it is still kind of important.  
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**Forced 14**

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She wasn't exactly sure of her surroundings, but she knew that the were a whole lot better than what she had had while she had been with Akatsuki. The bed was soft but firm, and as her mind began to become clearer she began to hear the small yet incessant beeping of a machine, and the little prick in her hand, where she was sure a needle was probably inserted. Feeling another one farther up her arm and figured it was for letting liquids into her body that was severely dehydrated.

Shifting around in the bed, she could feel the new clothing on her bunch in areas as it stuck to the bed. She wanted so badly to just shake her head and make the fogginess go away. But upon trying to, it only resulted in letting a small headache come upon her. Scrunching her eyes she tried to will the throbbing pain to go away. Trying to shift around again, she felt a steady and firm hand descend upon her arm, telling her silently to stop moving. Scrunching her eyes again, and then letting them slowly open she had to blink a few times for the fuzziness to leave the edges of her vision.

Once her vision cleared completely she stared blankly ahead at the sterile white ceiling. Already she could tell that there were several people already in the room. Finding the strength in her weakened body she turned her head to look at the person that had their hand on her arm. Her eyes found the hand first and then it traveled up the arm, and just by looking at the slenderness of the arm, she knew it was a female, and then up to the face. Amber eyes looked concerned at her.

Looking behind the amber eyed woman, she saw a tuft of silver hair poking around and then found the half covered face with one grey eye looking almost cautiously at her. Moving her gaze around again, she spotted a spiky head of blond hair giving her a worried look as well. She knew each of them and she was glad that three of her closest friends were there, but where was the other face that had brought her to Konoha. Her eyes tried to wander the rest of the room and when she spotted a head of black hair her heart jumped but upon realizing it was Sai, her heart slowed. It wasn't _him, _but where was he then?

Trying to open her mouth the only thing she let out was a croak of a word. She tried wetting her through by swallowing but even that didn't help much, another croak was the only thing she let out. Hearing something softly hit the table next to her bed she discovered a glass of water placed before her. Rising up slightly out of the bed with a little help she was finally able to reach her sore arms out towards the glass and taking it began to drink.

The cool water felt refreshing on her throat and to her senses as well. The entire time she had been with the Akatsuki there had been little water for her to drink. Relishing in the taste of the cool water, she downed the glass in a matter of seconds, she knew that while she did so, the occupants of the room, watched her intently, watching as she practically ravished the glass of water. They knew, looking at how ravenous she was for water, that she had probably been given none, or quite little during her off another glass of water that had been graciously offered to her, Sakura was finally able to speak to the members of the room around her, without croaking.

"How......how long have I been here?" she asked out, voice crackling only a little bit, but the words were understandable.

"You've been asleep for three days?" the blond woman told her. "You gave us a scare a little bit when you first came in, but you are out of the woods now. All you need to do it rest and regain fluids and nourishment and you'll be feeling better within the week."

The younger medic just nodded her head. Tsunade could tell that there was another question at the tip of the girls tongue, and she was sure she knew just exactly which question it was. Where was Sasuke? And even if Sakura would ask the question, Tsunade really didn't have answer. She had sent out a team to _try _and retrieve Sasuke, if even for another few days, but the Uchiha had eluded her team and had simply _vanished_. She watched the pinkette mull the question about in her mind, before the Hokage finally spoke.

"Sasuke, is no longer in Konoha." the statement was short and crisp, yet to Sakura it was as if it the sentence remained in the air longer than needed.

Her question was answered but it left so many other questions plagued her mind now. Why would Sasuke just leave? It was partially a stupid question but at the same time it was a valid one. Her mind was puzzled by everything that had happened. Did everything that had happened, mean nothing to him. Sasuke was someone who didn't act just on impulse, he had to have a reason. But what were his reasons for saving her from Madara's clutches and then their _encounters_ on their way back to Konoha.

She nodded, as if in a daze, finally registering it in her mind that Sasuke was not in Konoha and that there was a good possibility that he probably wouldn't be coming back. In her mind she knew it was stupid of her to even think about the possibility that Sasuke would stay. She was now sure that the stolen moments with him, were probably only raging hormones and emotions that had been suppressed for too long. It was stupid of her to even think that Sasuke would see in her in such a way.

Letting her body sink back farther into the hospital bed's mattress, she turned her head away from her teammates and looked out the partially covered window. She could almost see what had most likely gone on. Sasuke had made his demands of what would have to happen to make him stay. His demands were probably not met, or rather couldn't be met, and with a rage still burning in him towards Konoha, he had left.........without even a word.

The occupants in the room could see the dampened mood of the young medic as the news of Sasuke was told to her. They all suspected she would be disappointed, but not to the point where she would actually look dejected. Their eyes moved away from her for a second and then to each other, sending a silent message of a question of what could have happened between her and Sasuke in such a short amount of time that they had been together.

Kakashi had seen firsthand how protective, or could have been _possessiveness_, that Sasuke showed towards Sakura in that clearing, not so many nights ago. The man had protected the girl with his body had only let Kakashi look at the girl, out of a mere whim. Everything had been fine until Kakashi had made that move against Sasuke causing him to retreat, taking the pink haired girl with him. What could have possibly gone on those two possibly three days the two had been together. By the way Sakura was acting, she looked as if she had just been jilted, and right now Kakashi's mind could only wonder why.

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He was sure he was close to the Fire Rain border. Fire country, was usually avoided at all costs by himself up until this point, only crossing the border when it was absolutely necessary to go across the border, for missions and other assignments that Madara had sent him on.

Looking around him and sensing that he was alone, he settled himself against a tree amongst one of its thicker branches. His knees were bent upwards allowing himself to rest his arms against them, while leaning his head back against the trunk of the giant tree. It wasn't very often he would let his guard down like this. Though his senses were still making sure he was alone, he had never really felt like something was just....... missing.

And he blamed Sakura for it. If she hadn't been caught. If she hadn't become another obstacle for him. If she hadn't been branded and beaten, he wouldn't have taken remorse. There were so many if's and frankly they were driving him insane. He knew deep down that he _couldn't_ blame Sakura for what had transpired. It wasn't her fault that she had been branded. It wasn't her fault that she had been caught or rather captured, knowing that by what Tsunade had informed him. It really wasn't her fault, it was _his_, and he couldn't shake the feeling that he probably could have done something about it rather than sit back and watch it happen.

He was questioning himself though. It had been so easy to walk out of that hospital room, not knowing what would happen once he left, but he couldn't leave the room when Madara had been in the room. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was wondering what exactly he felt for the girl that had grown up. Emotions were being confused and he wasn't sure how to respond to any of it.

He knew of only one legitimate reason why he had left Konoha, he wanted to watch Madara. Sasuke knew that he couldn't return to the mountain base, and he was also sure that Madara had probably already moved from the stone structure. Madara wasn't stupid and the older Uchiha knew that his secrets were probably all out, and in Konoha's hands. Sasuke wasn't sure what the older Uchiha would do now, but it was now Sasuke's priority to keep Madara under tabs.

Madara wanted to destroy Konoha and would by any means necessary. Sasuke had decided that he would repent in some ways for all the information he had given Madara about Konoha, that he could still remember, when he had been under the man's thumb. He would find some retribution to ease his conscience, if he could stop or at least delay Madara's plans until Konoha was ready. But deep within Sasuke, he knew it was also to keep a person safe. A person that shouldn't have entered his life.

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**I feel so bad, about the length. i really am, i always try and write longer chapters and this one is just pathetic, especially for taking two weeks. **

**so why this chapter was late.**

**1 College: it is almost the end of the semester, and of course the projects are starting to come upon me and i am not liking them at then homework in general is just a killer. **

**2 guys. can't live with them, can't live without them. that is basically my feelings right now. **

**3 work: work is starting to pick up for the holiday seasons just around the corner, so i will be picking up more hours. **

**top three reasons, oh yes.**

**Update: I have no idea. i will try and write what i can when i can, and i will try and make the next chapter, longer than this one. i have time off around thanksgiving, so hopefully i can get a chapter up then, but absolutely no promises. **

**for the poll for my next story. the two are tied, so i will end the polling pretty soon and if they are still tied, i will just post whichever one i feel like posting. **

**please review, and let me know how the chapter is, though it is so short**

**yoyo**


	15. Chapter 15: Realizations

**eeek, sorry for the long wait, but i did say thanksgiving. again sorry for the long wait, explanations will be at the end. **

**and this chapter is a little bit longer than what it is has been but not by much. **

**thanks for all the reviews/alerts and faves. sorry if i did not write back to those who reviewed. **

**disclaimer: DNON**

**Enjoy the chapter.  
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**Chapter 15**

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After thinking about it for a while, he understood why the younger Uchiha hadn't come back. It would be suicidal. And though he had lost an ally, he wasn't that disappointed. He could always gain the younger one back, because it was just too damn easy. Really it was, at least for Madara it was. At the beginning though Madara had been furious at the blatant display of resistance and moreover disobedience. Though he had been positive that bringing the kunoichi would actually concrete Sasuke's alliance to him, but his plan had backfired, making the boy go off running again.

But that didn't matter really, not anymore. It was now taken care of in a more enjoyable and appreciative way, especially for Madara. He could attack Konoha, just as he had always wanted too, and then once again use the pink haired kunoichi against Sasuke, forcing the young Uchiha to come groveling back to him. Madara knew that the boy wouldn't place the girl's life in danger. It was probably what he considered Sasuke's weakness, and he enjoyed holding one more ace than Sasuke.

Darting his coal eyes around, seeing no need to wear the spiral mask any longer, he saw them glancing at him from time to time. They didn't want to get on his bad side at the moment, or it would be a rather unpleasant sight or feeling for them. The remaining loyal members sat around the large table, each separated a good distance from each other, waiting to see what Madara would do, or tell them. Inwardly scoffing at them, Madara continued his back and forth pacing of only a few strides before going the other way.

He was thinking deeply, and maybe a little too deeply for what he was thinking about. Right now he knew it was only a matter of time before it was the _right_ time to strike. But _when_ was the right time to strike? It may have been a big question to answer, but Madara was sure that once Konoha was settled again from getting their medical nin back and then Sasuke was just waiting around, then he would strike.

But then there was also another problem with everything. He may have allies, but he didn't have all the shinobi to back him up. He had the remaining Akatsuki members, but with only three of them and him, it wasn't the force he wanted to go against Konoha. He had alliances with Rain still, even if Pein had passed on. Most of the shinobi were still loyal to the God that Pein called himself. It would be rather easy getting them to join with him. He had a few connections in Rock and he knew that in the next few days or weeks he would have to start gathering them together to head towards Konoha.

He shook slightly, at the prospect of finally going against Konoha and finally getting his ultimate goal of taking over the pathetic place it had become and looked forward to making it into a village that would be worthy to have the Uchiha back within its walls. He really had no sentimental attitude towards the village, just a vendetta against the Kages that governed the village. The Senju clan had wronged the Uchiha and by conquering the village he would have gained both acknowledgment from the other villages of the actual worth of the Uchiha and then he would have the immense pleasure of getting rid of the First's granddaughter, Tsunade.

It would be a great day when, not if, but when he took over Konoha, and then he would have Sasuke back under his thumb and on a tighter leash than before. If the Uchiha were to be resurrected, he would need Sasuke there with him. And then after he took over Konoha it would be on towards the other nations and villages as well. Madara was greedy, he knew that, and that was why he had such high aspirations for what he wanted, which also included the submission of the other hidden villages as well. They would have to acknowledge Konoha and the Uchiha name even further.

Stopping in stride, his face looked towards the members practically lounging at the table. With one bark all of them, the three that there were, were on guard and looking expectantly at him. Rolling his eyes at them, they were such dogs at time. He could probably tell them to play dead and they would. Flicking his wrist he told them to leave the room, and that he had business to conduct himself.

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**3 Weeks Later**

It had been almost four weeks since Sakura had been brought back to Konoha. She was settling well back into the normal routine. Her body had recovered well considering her ordeal and within one of week returning she had been out of the hospital. Though many of the villagers knew that something had happened to her, they never questioned her when she had been out and about, walking through the streets and for that she was grateful. It was still hard for her to undress and see the cloud branded on her shoulder.

She had moved back into her apartment that she had gotten after she had sold the house her mother and her had lived in before her mother's death. She was grateful to Ino, who had been keeping it clean for her return. Sakura had found the apartment welcoming and for a few days hadn't left the homey place for fear that once she left again, she might not come back to it for a little while, but it also didn't help when she had a spiky blond haired friend sleeping on her couch, while she was just next door in the bedroom.

The thing she was most angry about was the stupid Uchiha, that had the nerve to freaking kiss her senseless one day and the next drop her off in Konoha, doesn't get his own way, and the flees like a dog with its tail between his legs. It made her angry that he would just _leave_ her after everything that they had been through, though it had only been like a three day journey, if that, but then again she was asleep for most of it.

Though her anger towards the Uchiha was starting to diminish, she knew that if the _boy_ ever came back that he would have one good lecture coming his way, as well as a possible fist. But no the other thing that was getting on her nerves was that she was doing _nothing_. No matter how much she griped, complained, and moaned to Tsunade to give her something to do, to even just work in the hospital, she was shot down, by an death glare from amber eyes, and a threat to make sure that if the pink haired medic did complain again, it would have some sort of repercussions and Sakura really didn't want those to fall upon her.

And that was how Sakura now found herself aimlessly wandering around the streets of Konoha searching for something to do. Not really wanting to stay cooped up in her home any longer, she had decided to wander the streets and buy random things, if she really wanted them. Still not trusting a lot of people around her, she wore the familiar black nin pants, along with a dark red shirt, only letting her neck through the shirt. She hadn't properly seen the brand on her shoulder until she was in her own bathroom and had turned her back to the mirror in her bathroom and held a hand held mirror in front of her to look back at the cursed mark.

She knew it was large but not nearly as big as it was. It encompassed most of her right shoulder, placed right in the middle of her right shoulder between the juncture where ones neck met the back and the curve of her shoulder. The cloud was long and puffy, if the Akatsuki cloud could be called puffy. Ever since seeing the thing, Sakura had made sure that it was never exposed to anyone or anything. Shirts were always to the neck covering it up. If it did show, it would only draw attention and unneeded questions, both of which she wanted to stay far away from.

Picking her way around several stalls of wares and then around bumbling kids, she made her way to the familiar road that held Ichiraku. She knew she would find her blond teammate there, but was also surprised to see team ten standing there as well. Her female blond friend was standing, hand on hip, before the blond male. As far as Sakura could tell and Naruto's expression, he was getting a talking to from the bleached blond. She couldn't help but stifle a smile when saw a lazy Shikamaru next to the lighter blond, scratching the back of his head, and then Chouji slurping away at his own ramen.

Her small steps made almost no sound as she walked towards the scene in front of her knowing she was spotted as soon as cerulean eyes widened and made the bleached blond girl start talking about how the male needed to listen better, and Naruto paying no attention towards her.

"Baka, listen." The light blond barked, smacking the blond male on the head, the reaction instantaneous of the male grabbing his sore head and complaining to Ino.

"Hey." Sakura started as she finally made her entrance into the conversation, startling the female blond. "Oh, Sakura." the other female registered before taking her friend in a hug, to which Sakura wiggled out of very quickly.

"What were you talking about?" the pink haired medic asked the group of fellow ninja. When no one answered her back right away, she began to get suspicious.

"Uh, nothing really forehead." Ino started after a minute. "Just _reminding _Naruto-baka here of something." she threw her thumb towards the blond male, who immediately retaliated against the blond female, but one look from the ice blue eyes, made the boy stop and cower slightly. Sakura just had to chuckle a little from the scene. Looking at the group of friends, she was pretty sure she wasn't going to get a straight answer from them, so shaking her head, she let whatever she thought they could be talking about, slip away from her mind.

* * *

Shifting his back into a more comfortable position, he continued to lean against the tree, just watching and waiting for anything. It felt oddly comfortable to just lean against the tree, if even for a few moments. He had been watching Madara's movements from afar off, the last few weeks and he was sure that Madara was moving forward with his plan to move against Konoha.

After spending the last few weeks scouring the other countries to see what Madara was planning, he had only recently made his way back to the Fire Country, after acquiring the information he needed. He knew he was within a days travel of Konoha, yet there was also something in the pit of his stomach that was making it hard for him to return. And it came in the form of a lithe pink headed medic nin.

He knew that he was going to get a beating or rather an attempted beating from the kunoichi. She was probably extremely pissed off at him for just up and leaving. He could even go as far as her probably thinking that he had left because he hadn't gotten his own way, and yes that was partly true. He was upset, angered even, that no justice would be given to him because of what had happened to his family. Knowing that if the right people wanted to they could certainly go back into the archives and find some sort of incrimination evidence to prove the councilors and Danzo of their treason against his own family. But at the same time he understood the reasons behind the mass execution. His family was conspiring, but there were other methods of dealing with such things.

Letting his body only rest for a few minutes more, he decided he had delayed long enough and set his course straight to Konoha. It was a risky move he made in going back, because once he was back he was sure that he would probably be tied down and forced to remain there. But there was an up side to that. He may have been gone for a few weeks and there were only flashes of the pinkette in his mind, but the flashes weren't of her in a hospital bed, but of them, kissing passionately on their return to Konoha. The pinkette was in Konoha and that made things both harder and easier.

Sasuke knew that Madara would target her when he attacked. Madara would be upset that his perfect little plan had backfired, in using her to gain more control over Sasuke. It had worked to an extent because now Sasuke could very well say that he was emotionally attached at a base level with the kunoichi, and he would make sure that Madara wouldn't harm or even get to her in battle. But right now he knew that he was attached only at the base level, but if he went back, would it turn into something more.

He wanted to curse himself, when he admitted to himself that it wouldn't be so bad going back, if he could get some more passion out of his former teammate. He knew that though she had some experience of the sexual nature, she wasn't fully awakened to it yet and, he cursed his weak mind, by saying to himself that he wouldn't mind bringing her to a full knowledge of those wonders, which he himself had indulged in.

Shaking his head, he knew that he had to get _some_ of those thoughts out of his head. He knew that Sakura wouldn't just come willingly into his arms when he went back to the village. It was probably going to be a little testy at times when he would first arrive, and he was glad that it was probably going to be like that. He knew he deserved a cold shoulder from her for a while, but hopefully it wouldn't last too long.

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**sorry again for the long wait but hopefully the chapter was good. and i decided to cut it off there just so i can have a really good next chapter. **

**so update haha, well good news i get out of school in like a week, which will give me more writing time, because then all i have is work, before i go home for christmas. **

**i am going to try and have this story done before i head home for christmas as well, so hopefully i will be able to do it. i am only planning on a few more chapters 20 max. so that is something to look forward to, i just have to write a ton when school gets out. **

**this next week of school is going to be tough because i have finals this week and two of them are presentations, essays, and then a few tests. gotta love college, but then i am free. **

**but hopefully by the 11th of december i will have another chapter out. i will start writing this weekend, but i have to work tomorrow all day, and i have some homework, today, but i will try and start writing the next chapter. **

**_also for my next story, it is really close poling, so please continue to poll, i will be cutting it off here pretty soon, but it is between ONE NIGHT and UNTITLED (as of right now). so please poll if you haven't. it doesn't take very long. _**

**well hopefully you liked the chapter, and please take a few seconds to drop a review. **

**so please review**

**yoyo  
**


	16. Chapter 16: Figuring things Out

**Hehe, i actually got it out today. a miracle. i only had the first page done when i started two hours ago. i will talk more at the bottom. don't want to keep you waiting**

**thanks for the reviews, alerts, and faves. **

**Disclaimer: DNON**

**Enjoy the chapter and sorry it is short again.  
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**Chapter 16**

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The reports were disturbing. That's all there was too it, and knowing what it all meant too was the worst part. Reasoning would have told her that the person causing all of this.....turmoil, if it could be called that. The only thing that gave her some semblance of reassurance, was that she knew what was going on instead of just having it pop up right in front of her when it was too late. It was also helpful knowing the background information was to this whole fiasco.

Settling farther back into her chair, amber eyes scanned over the overlapping papers on her desk. Casting her eyes up upon the room, the amber orbs fixed themselves on the darkest corner of the room. There was something there, and she could tell. There was no chakra being sensed, letting her know that if someone was there, then they were advanced enough to hide their chakra from her at such a short distance. It almost reminded her of the night when Sakura was returned to Konoha.

"Uchiha." she remarked calmly. It wasn't a question, but a knowing statement.

And then she saw it. The place where the darkness moved, and a shadow of a figure began to form and emerge from the corner. Soon the pale skin of the Uchiha began to be seen through the darkness and then when stepping into an area where the light flickered on his form, and she could see a flicker illuminate his dark obsidian eyes.

She leaned farther back in her chair, giving off a relaxed composure, when inside she was seething at the gall the Uchiha showed by just _showing up_ in her office, in the dead of night. She kind of hoped he wouldn't make a habit out of it. Her face showed composure, yet her eyes were a hard amber. Gazing over the Uchiha, and his nonchalant stance as well, it occurred to her that usually the Uchiha wouldn't really be so nonchalant about everything unless he was confident that when he came back he would be somehow safe. Amber eyes narrowed at the possible conclusion of the nonchalance of the youngest Uchiha.

"I didn't think I would be seeing you around here again, until Uchiha Madara attacked us." Tsunade remarked calmly, closely inspecting the expressionless face of the youngest Uchiha.

"unless you being here is a forewarning." amber eyes never left the blank face. Sighing heavily, she spoke again. "what do you want Uchiha?"

"You already know what I want." his voice was cold as it came upon her, and she figured it would be.

"I can't do all that you want." the Uchiha started but was stopped, "but I can do some form of pension." Sasuke's face seemed clearly interested now.

"Like what?" he said harshly.

"Upon my own research of the events that happened that night, it would seem that Danzo was the main enforcer of having the Uchiha Clan murdered. When the battle that inevitably comes with Madara, afterwords, Danzo's crimes can be brought against him in a private hearing. Justice will then be taken." Tsunade watched the young Uchiha mull over her words. Finally after a few moments of silence Sasuke nodded his head in agreement.

"Now what else are you here for?" Tsunade asked.

"To stop Madara." it was short and straight to the point.

"And why would it be necessary for you to come here and do that. You could have stopped him a while ago, if you had wanted."

"Because I have to protect someone." the statement shocked Tsunade. Never before had she heard something like _that_ come out of his mouth. It was highly more likely that Naruto would say something like that, and the blond did, from time to time, but hearing it from the Uchiha was another matter.

"And who do you have to protect?" an answer came to her mind, but she wanted to be absolutely certain.

"Sakura."

* * *

The name surprised the Godaime Hokage. Never would she have thought that the Uchiha would have to return to protect someone, especially when that someone was the girl that fawned over him mercilessly. But Sakura had grown up and maybe Sasuke had seen that side of her, that made him want to protect her this time around to a fuller extent than just teammates. Bobbing her head slightly she continued her gaze at the Uchiha.

"And why would you need to protect her?" Tsunade probably could have guessed the answer, but while she was already getting information out of the Uchiha, she might as well push it as far as she could, though, something in the Uchiha's eyes told her that her plan of getting information out of him, was already known by him.

"Madara targeted her before to get to me. He knows I will be around during the battle, and will again target her to get to me."

"All about leverage again? Madara must be pretty anxious to have you on a leash." the Uchiha scowled at these words. "But no matter, before you start protecting anyone, you might want to make some amends first." the female interlocked her fingers as she rested her elbows against the table, and another frown became apparent on the normally stoic face. The only response was a nod, before Sasuke making his way out of the room.

"Do you know where you are going?" Tsunade called out to him, and again her response was a nod.

* * *

He actually had no idea where he was going, but he wasn't going to let the Hokage know that, and though it was nearly the dead of night, he was still able to find someone who gave him the directions to Sakura's apartment, and luckily no one recognized him, courtesy of his cloaked head. Maneuvering through the last few areas towards Sakura's abode, he stopped and looked up at an apartment complex. He couldn't say it was bad, but it certainly wasn't the greatest, though it was better than Naruto's, as far as he could remember. Walking to the main door, he allowed himself inside and started for the stairwell, not really looking forward to the ten story ascent that he was about to make to the top of the apartment building.

Finally reaching the top floor he headed down following the room numbers, hoping to quickly come across the number of Sakura's own apartment. Only when he reached the end of the hall did he find her apartment number. Knowing that even if he knocked she might not answer, and upon seeing him, might not even open up the door, he let himself through the unlocked door, a small scowl on his face.

Though it was pitch black in the room, he successfully maneuvered himself around her furniture and into the small hallway that led down to her bedroom, or that was what he guessed. Coming to two doors one on either side of the hall, he leaned his body forward trying to see which one could be the bedroom. Gently pushing open the ajar door on the left he found a small but clean bathroom. Turning his head to the right he proceeded to get closer to the door and quietly open it, finding the bedroom.

He had to let himself fully into the bedroom, before he could see the bed, positioned against the wall to the right of where the door opened, and the door actually causing the bed to be hidden until it was closed or the occupant ventured further into the room. Closing the door behind him, he started towards the bed, finally finding the occupant nestled up within the bedsheets, pink hair tousled from sleeping.

Half debating with himself to actually wake her, he finally decided too, knowing that she would have to be a little quieter at night, as the other occupants of the building were sleeping. Moving to where he could clearly see her face, he moved a hand towards her closest shoulder and shook her quietly. His only response was a small moan. Shaking the girl again, he got a more active response. Her eyelids fluttered opened and the green irises beneath were exposed to his own dark eyes.

Turning her head towards the 'thing' that had interrupted her sleep, she first saw the upper legs and lower abdomen of someone, before letting her eyes wander up to the supposed person standing above her. Eyes settling on the face of Uchiha Sasuke was not what she was expecting at all. Her own eyes widened, before she scrambled around, making the blankets fly, and she scuttled towards the wall her bed was positioned against.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she snapped at him, while snatching some of her blankets to cover herself, better than the small light pink tank was doing her. He only quirked an eyebrow at her antics. "and you better have a good reason too. I'm still mad at you, just leaving like you did." he silently rolled his eyes at her ranting.

"Madara will soon be attacking." he broke off her ranting.

"Oh." was all she said, relaxing slightly. "Then what are you doing in my apartment?"

"He will target you to get to me again." he said, hoping that his obvious intentions of protecting her would make themselves clear before he had to explain in further detail.

"and you're here because? I can take care of myself, you know." a dark eyebrow raised. Apparently she could after already been captured by the older Uchiha, but at least she got what he was trying to express in as few words as possible. "So you don't need to stick around here." she finished off, waving her hand at him, as a master might to do a dog when he wanted the dog to leave.

"I'm not leaving." Sasuke spoke out.

"Well I _don't_ need your protecting."

"Yes, you do." He almost kicked himself for saying it like that. She gave him an incredulous look.

"Fine. If you want to _protect _me, why don't you start by getting out of my apartment. Because as far as I can see Madara is out here and not in here." he figured the cold shoulder was because he had left so suddenly after getting her to safety here.

"Madara will come in here, because you are in here."

"Whatever, look can we discuss this later. I'm tired and need to sleep." she told him so nonchalantly, that it made him almost want to tear his hair out. Moving to get onto the bed with her, Sakura stopped hm. "and what do you think you are doing?" she asked pushing him back.

"Protecting you." he smirked.

"Yeah, do that from the couch. In the living room." she pointed towards the door.

"Don't blame me if you get kidnapped in your sleep then." he bit out at her.

"Naruto will come and save me then, and actually stay with me, instead of traipsing around like a fool." Sasuke bristled at the words, but instead of retorting, he composed himself and let himself out of her door of the bedroom and made his way towards the couch. He could at least be thankful that the couch was pretty comfy.

* * *

It was the same the next morning and for the days to come. She hardly talked to him, and really made no notice of his appearance in her apartment. No one knew that he was really back yet, and it aggravated him to no end, when she would leave early in the morning and not return until late at night, not in the mood to talk and just head off to bed.

It went on for about a week before he finally did something about it. It had been a little over a week since he had returned and was waiting for her to return to her apartment and he was glad when she came in earlier than she usually had been. Normally he would have let her pass him and walk to her bedroom without stopping her or going after her, but they needed to work some things out, so he followed her and when she turned around to close her door, he was there instead and pushed her a little farther back into the room, and closed the door with a snap himself.

She couldn't miss the anger that was brewing in his stormy eyes, and letting herself get a little farther back from him than she already was, and for the first time since he had been in her apartment, she could say that she was genuinely frightened of him. His stance was tall and the way he held himself made her almost scared of him, but shaking the fear out of her, she lifted her chin defiantly at him, and her eyes met his own smoldering ones in a locked battle, and for a moment she weakened and before either of them knew it, they were on her bed, him kissing her wildly.

She didn't know how it all happened, but the tension that was there _had_ to have been sexual tension. After practically living with one another for a little over a week, and one of the last memories she had of them was making out against a tree, finding them like this wasn't that hard to imagine. She was also sure that he hadn't followed her to do kiss her, but to talk, but actions speak louder than words.

A gasp escaped her mouth when his detached her own and started to attack her neck, her hands wrapping around his neck, one diving into his thick, soft hair. She was sure that since there was nothing to really stop them, that they would end up doing something, but just when he was about to take off her shirt, the alarm sounded. His forehead dropped to her chest, above her breasts. He was about to speak when a wild knocking came at the apartment's front door.

"Sakura-chan, you need to get to the hospital, we're under attack!" it was Naruto's voice, and immediately Sasuke was off of her, and both of them were up instantly, her changing into more appropriate clothes for fighting and healing and Sasuke finding his wrappings and weapons. Madara was striking and they both had a part to play in the battle that had already started.

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**So hope that was good for you. sorry it was short and probably really lame. oops. **

**so here's my news**

**1) school is out, thank goodness for an entire month. **

**2) i am staying at my apartment and working for another week and a half before i go home for christmas. so i will have to time to write**

**3) life is again a little crazy. another guy has stepped into my life, and this one is going really good, so some of my time is going out to him as well. **

**4) i am planning on wrapping this story up within 1 to 2 more chapters. i might just make the next chapter a longer one and finish the story up or make it two separate chapters that will be shorter. i haven't decided. but i will finish before christmas**

**5) poll. i will ending the polling in a few days and right now ONE NIGHT is winning by one vote. so please poll and let me know. i don't know if i will start posting before or after my christmas vacation so we will just have to wait and see.**

**so please review and let me know about the chapter, if you liked it or whatnot. **

**yoyo  
**


	17. Chapter 17: Finale

**So here it is. i finished the chapter and this is the last chapter, because that is the way i decided to do it. **

**Thanks for all the reviews, alerts and faves. **

**Disclaimer: DNON**

**Happy Holidays as well to everyone**

**Enjoy the chapter**

**warning small lime near the end. right after the bold words near the end  
**

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**Chapter 17**

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She didn't pause for Sasuke as she raced out of her apartment, adjusting her medic pack to her lower back. Though she knew that she would have to head to the hospital at some point, she knew that her first orders were to assist those injured out on the battle front. Though a part of her was scared to face the man that had captured, imprisoned, and tortured her, she would have to put those emotions and feelings behind her, if only for a moment.

Sasuke cursed as he watched the pink haired medic rush out of the apartment, leaving him behind while he was grabbing his own weapons. He knew she didn't understand how important it was too him that he be near her, especially right now. He had to make sure that Madara didn't close enough to her, to threaten her, and ultimately him. As much as he hated to admit it, but she almost controlled him, or at least what might happen in the future to him, and possibly Konoha.

Finally he too ran out of the apartment and sensing Sakura's chakra he followed her signature. By te time he found her healing a nin. He half sighed in relief and groaned. He knew she was a medic, but one wrong move of her not sensing something or Madara playing a genjutsu on her and it was done. He hated feeling almost body guard-ish, but he knew for both of their sakes he had to do it.

It was hard for him to practically just stand around and watch other shinobi fight around him. Sure he had his own small battles, but not being at the front of the fray or in the middle of it, it was hard for him to just sit and watch and protect. His eyes, though his body was only alert, were moving everywhere, searching, looking for Madara, but as of yet, he hadn't seen his predecessor. And he didn't like it.

Madara could be anywhere and Sasuke knew it. It's what made just standing and protecting Sakura so unnerving. He couldn't go and confront Madara, where he had the advantage of finding him first. Now he had to just sit and wait for Madara to come and to Sakura. If Sasuke could just go by himself, he could keep Sakura safe, because she wouldn't be near them, but knowing that Madara was probably watching their movements and probably knew where they both were, made everything even more unnerving.

He followed Sakura wherever she went to heal the injured shinobi, which some of them upon seeing him, sent him dirty looks, but Sasuke disregarded them, but he could tell that Sakura was getting fed up with him following her, but they hadn't had a moment to talk. The last moment that could have led to talking, had ended up leading to the bed.

He was alerted back to the present situation when he found Sakura's small hand attached to his upper arm and was dragging him towards an alleyway. Pushing him inside, he was startled. She was _manhandling him_. That definitely wasn't supposed to be how things worked.

"Why are you following me?" she half growled at him, which didn't really surprise him, with the looks she had been giving him.

"Madara's here." he started.  
"I know that." she barked. "but that doesn't give you any right to just follow me around. I have a job to do, and so do you. So actually go get rid of the man."

"It isn't that simple." he stated a little too calmly for her.

"Of course it is. You just go and find him and kill him." he raised an eyebrow at her words. It wasn't as easy as she seemed to think it was.

If he didn't protect her, her life would be in even greater danger than it already was. Sasuke had practically guessed what Madara's last intentions had been with Sakura before he had rescued her from that hell. He had seen that same look on Madara's face before and he always knew what it meant later on that night. Sasuke could only guess what Madara might to do her now. For one she had escaped, with his help, before he could extract his inflictions upon her. For another, Madara needed him to help take over Konoha, and for Madara to gain control back over him, he would need Sakura, because Madara had guessed right, Sakura was a weakness to him.

"No, it isn't." Sasuke ground out, pinning Sakura against the wall. Feeling the stone wall behind her, he could see her eyes go ablaze. "unless you want a death wish, I will stay right here." his voice was hard and unnerving to Sakura.

"He doesn't need me anymore." she spat back, only to get pushed a little deeper into the wall. She was getting upset. There was a battle going on and they were practically having a lover's quarrel in an alleyway.

"He will use you to get to me." Sasuke spoke again.

"You don't have weaknesses. You cut off all ties. Remember?" she was goading him on and he wasn't appreciating it. He was trying to protect her and she was messing with him.

"You can be grateful I saved you." he whispered harshly to her, "or else something worse might have happened besides getting _branded_." he knew it was a low blow to her but with her attitude he really didn't care. She hissed at him.

"you selfish bastard. You self righteous jackass, I can't believe you." she tried throwing a punch, but was blocked by Sasuke. "did you only save me because it would make your pride feel good." she was seething by now. "you should have just let me rot there. But no, you had to watch out for yourself and just use me to make yourself feel better."

"You don't know a _damn_ thing." Sasuke said tight lipped. He could take her jibes to a point, but he didn't save her because of his _pride_. It was much more than that.

"I didn't save you because of some pride." he spat at her. "you should know first hand what kind of control I was under as well, and if you want to go back to that then go and get yourself caught by him, and then you'll be the selfish one, putting me at risk as well, because of your selfish pride." he used her words against her, and it got her attention.

"You've never cared before." she said icily. "Why do you care now and how much do you care?" the last words came out almost choked and Sasuke almost regretted bringing this subject. Madara had guessed that Sasuke was beginning to _feel _something back when he had first plotted to capture Sasuke. He cursed himself for becoming a little too transparent for his liking.

"I care enough." he spoke lowly and with a tone that said that was the end of the discussion. "Now we have other things to do." he spoke lowly, but he wasn't sure Sakura got what he had just said.

Her mind seemed to be stuck in the 'enough' part of his statement. Had he really just admitted in some small way that he _actually cared_ about someone other than himself. Throughout their entire genin days, though he had been more than helpful in all of their missions, he had never really _cared_. He had cared at some points but usually he would be an emotionless, stoic person.

* * *

She was brought out of her reverie on Sasuke's feelings when she was pushed to the side and barely caught herself in time to not land directly on her face, her arms had shot out to protect herself. Her mind was a little foggy from what had happened, but upon hearing a familiar, yet sadistic laugh, she knew who had pushed her to the ground and why she had been pushed. Letting her arms prop herself up a bit her head swung around to face the intruder upon hers and Sasuke's conversation.

The man that had imprisoned her was standing before both of them, dressed in traditional shinobi garb, and with no mask on his face. He looked at them almost mockingly, and Sakura knew that Madara wouldn't let them off easily. He was after both of them for purposes that were interconnected. Sakura scurried to her feet and held a defensive stance behind that of Sasuke's own alert stance. Both were ready to take on the other living Uchiha.

Madara again kept the mock look on his face. He was actually surprised to find the kunoichi standing defensively along side of Sasuke. It seemed that the two had perhaps reconciled on some sort. He had just overheard their argument about who was more selfish and such. Madara found it highly amusing as well. It wasn't everyday that he had the two that he was after right in one spot, but he half expected it, knowing how Sasuke would try anything to make sure that Sasuke wasn't put back under Madara's control.

Madara wasn't going to say anything he was just going to wait until the first move was made, whether he made it or they made it. He knew that in most circumstances the enemy that stood by himself against two opponents had the least chances for surviving the encounter. But this was a different case. It was an Uchiha against an Uchiha and a medic. And though Sasuke had the medic on his side, Madara knew that he still had the advantage. One wrong move by Sasuke or the medic and it would be all over. All he had to do was get to the kunoichi and it would be over.

Tired of just having a motionless face off, Madara made the first move. Darting forward he drew a kunai and attacked the waiting Uchiha he was against. Sasuke saw the glint of the pulled kunai and reacted instantly drawing his own weapon. A flash of sparks erupted as the two metals connected, making light in the dark that was encasing the village and the land.

Sasuke sidestepped and twirling his wrist that held his own blade he made an attack against Madara, just catching a small piece of the other Uchiha's attire. Madara seemed to emanate anger from the move that had caused him to have been 'wounded' first. Madara took the intiative of Sasuke retreating slightly to his advantage and attacked in full force. The two weapons again meeting with a clash of spark and light.

Sakura just watched as the two Uchiha dealt it out. She wondered if she should leave and let the two shinobi deal with it themselves or stay at her present position and keep a watch on the battle. Noting that the two had moved to a more open area than an alleyway, she followed from a distance. Sasuke might need some assistance when he was done with the battle. Losing sight of them momentarily, she jumped upwards to the roofs where she was sure the two had gone to continue their battle. And she was right. The two were locked in a fierce battle. The sparks that were made from the two metals colliding were frequent and almost rushed. The two were just battling for the upper hand at the moment and she was surprised that neither had really used their sharingan more than just seeing the opponents next move.

She almost watched in awe as the two fought. It was graceful yet very deadly. The two were precise in the their strikes and defenses. It was amazing to see the two fight against each other. It made the reason why the Uchiha were great fighters make sense. The Uchiha seemed to know everything that was going on within a battle and they made it look easy, and a part of her was jealous at the ease of a battle the two portrayed.

Sasuke grunted slightly feeling the kunai of his family member cut into his upper arm. Feeling a little blood well up at the open skin, he pushed the small wound aside and focused even more so on his opponent. Having enough of just metal against metal he quickly let chidori crackle out when the two metals met again. It caused a jolt of electricity to pulse up Madara's arm and Madara groaned at the feeling of being electrocuted.

* * *

Knowing that Sasuke wasn't playing around anymore, made him feel a little bit more excited, now it was time to see who was better at the higher level jutsus. Throwing at an Uchiha jutsu at the other Uchiha, Madara watched as Sasuke avoided the fire and began to attack back.

Sakura watched as the battle went from just a parrying of weapons to a battle of elements. She was sure that Madara had a repertoire of jutsu. He had been around a lot longer than he really should have been. Seeing a look come over Sasuke, she knew that he wanted to end the battle. It had been raging long enough for him and he wanted to kill his family member that was the root of the Uchiha downfall in the beginning. She watched as an almost rage come over Sasuke and he started attacking with even more ferocity than she had ever seen.

Sasuke had had enough of this game with Madara, and he wanted to end it. The goading from the older Uchiha weren't helping either. With his anger already heated towards the older Uchiha, Sasuke started to make smarter, faster moves. Finding ways to strike Madara where it would count rather than just strokes that would hopefully finds its way to an unknown destination.

Madara wasn't sure where the sudden burst of anger and energy had come from, from the younger Uchiha. But the burst of energy was putting him at a disadvantage in the fight. The blows were coming harder and stronger and he knew that if he didn't do something quickly it would probably be over for him. Eyes darting around, they settled on the medic. If he could get to the medic, then he would have a shot of winning this battle. Making a move against Sasuke, which through Sasuke off balance, Madara darted towards Sakura, wanting to secure his power. But before he could even get to her, he felt something practically impale him.

He didn't know how he couldn't have sensed anything, but something had gone wrong and he hadn't felt that a move was being made against him, but he did know that there was now blood flowing down his back. His movements basically halted and looking over his shoulder he could see Sasuke bent over slightly his hand still in a position of throwing something, and then peering down over his shoulder, he found the kunai that had imbedded itself in his back. But there was something else. It wasn't just a kunai. It was poisoned. It was what had halted his assault towards the medic. The poison, he could already feel it moving throughout his system.

His eyes went towards the medic. The only way that Sasuke could have possibly gotten a poisoned kunai was from the medic. But how had he gotten it? How had Sasuke out maneuvered him? It made no sense, yet as he felt his mortality slipping away, he knew that he had been bested and it wasn't sitting well with him, even in death. He hadn't expected his downfall to come from the younger Uchiha. He had envisioned himself taking over Konoha, getting Sasuke back on a leash of control and showing that pink haired medic a thing or two about escaping him.

Falling to his knees he watched as the medic bypassed his, in a roundabout way and walked towards the younger Uchiha behind him. Feeling the last of his strength fade from his body, he fell face forward onto the stone of the roof of the building he was on. He could hear voices in his mind, and he figured they were the voices of the two behind him, before everything went black in his world

Sakura approached a heavily breathing Sasuke, who too had fallen to his knees, head bowed down. She knelt in front of him and tilting his chin up, she wrapped her arms around him. Though she knew that he was proud of himself for destroying the main cause of Uchiha dissent, he had again killed a family member.

He didn't do anything at first when he felt the small arms turn his face upwards and then wrap him up in them. He didn't know what to really feel. He was _happy_ that he killed Madara, but there was a part of him that _hurt_ because of it. Now he really was the last Uchiha alive and for some reason, right now it bothered him immensely. He didn't want his clan to be known as haters and killers, but of loyal shinobi, and that ate at him and finally he returned the hug that was already being given to him.

* * *

**Two Months Later**

* * *

The bed sheets were rumpled as the limbs in them moved around. Breathy gasps and moans were heard throughout the room. A shrill cry came before the sound of hard panting started up. Small hands gripped the bare shoulders of the male above her, and she marked the pale skin, making the paleness come to a red color instead.

Her body felt wonderful and why wouldn't it? She had the last Uchiha making her feel this way, and after experiencing it for first time only a few days before, she could now say that Uchihas were remarkable at everything they did. Feeling a sense of satisfaction she let out a loud cry of Sasuke's name, as he grunted with her as well.

She felt him fall on top of her lightly, and she loved the feeling of them being this close. It had taken time for her to come to trust the Uchiha to the point of where he could do this. But also she wanted him to have some resolve in his life before he could make progress on his future.

Danzo had been executed privately after a closed trial. She had been with Sasuke that day as Sasuke watched the man that had readily ordered the extermination of his clan was sentenced. And then came Sasuke's own punishment. Though he was given leniency, he was still on probation for six months before he could actively resume any shinobi duties, and she had thought he had rather looked pleased at that. Maybe it would be good for him to concentrate on getting her instead of rising through the shinobi ranks again.

And they had gotten together, well at least moved in together. Sakura was in charge of his probation, courtesy of Tsunade and Sakura had suggested that Sasuke move in with her, though she had a spare bedroom, he had found a place in her bed, next to her.

Feeling him roll off of her, she let out a deep sigh. Letting her head fall to the side, she looked at her lover, elbow propping his upper body up slightly as he watched her. His eyes fell to a spot on her shoulder and shuffling closer to her, he turned her over a little to clearly see the brand that had been placed there. Her hand, however; after a moment blocked his view of it.

"Don't look at it." she spoke quietly.

"Why?"

"Because, I don't like it when you do."

"Well I want to look at it." he spoke and removed her hand only to place a kiss against the brand making her shudder. "Its what made me see what I was missing." he told her, before drawing her into a kiss, that soon led to other activities and Sakura was more than willing to oblige to.

* * *

**Well there it is. the End!!! hopefully that was good for you. i am seriously finishing this up at like 12:30 in the morning and i have to be up in like 5 hours so i can get on the road to go home for christmas. but i said i would post the last chapter before i left so i did. love me please!!**

**so the next story is ONE NIGHT and i am posting the first chapter when i get home. but don't expect another chapter until sometime after new years. i am not done with the second chapter and i am not going to take it home with me. i am hoping that this little vacation will help me get some of my writing urge back. i have been lacking lately. **

**and please review. let me know how you liked the chapter and the story.!!!!!**

**yoyo  
**


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